Daddy Angelus
by Shimmering Skittles
Summary: Branching off from Season 2, Angel has to deal with the coming together of his vampiric family. With Penn trying to create a new self-image, Angel with a soul, Spike trying to deal with his chip, Darla trying to manipulate Wolfram and Hart, and Dru down in South America, will this family ever get it together? (Spoiler: the answer is yes; now read to find out how.)
1. Chapter 1

**Strictly speaking, chapter 1 of this story is actually posted as a stand alone in the Buffy fanfiction archives. It is entitled Spike's Chip. If you don't want to go hunt it down though, that is perfectly alright. Just imagine chapter 2 as the first chapter. The story will still make sense.

(A/N: So this is an old story I wrote and I posted the first chapter of it ages ago, simply keeping the rest of the story on my computer. I'm afraid if I don't post in online, however, I'm going to loose this story soon due to the fact that it's written on an old computer in an odd format in an outdated program that is incompatible with word perfect, so it's not easily transferable. So, for anyone who enjoyed Spike's Chip, here's the rest of the story.)

Chapter 2 Setting: Angel, season 1: episode 11: Somnambulist.

**_Chapter 2 (Or Chapter 1) : Penn's Words  
_**

Angel stared at Penn, completely ignoring Kate. What was he going to do? Penn had to be stopped, he had to be killed right? But something in him rebelled. For some reason it felt wrong, it felt...like Darla. He couldn't do that again. He couldn't go through with it, God what was he going to do?

"Well, you were right about one thing, Angelus. The last 200 years has been about me sticking it to my father. But I've come to realize something – it's you!" Jumping up Penn kicked Angel in the stomach. "You made me! You taught me! You approved of me in ways my mortal father never did! You are my real father, Angelus." Penn yelled at him, now on Angel's back. To any onlooker it looked like Penn just may be winning this one-sided fight.

But Angel was still stronger. He got up and held Penn up above his head. The words finally clicked into place but Angel could hardly contemplate them now. His mind grasping some concept of father, he suddenly knew what he wanted to do. "Fine! You're grounded." Angel yelled slamming him into the ground. Keeping him pinned to the ground, he bashed Penn's head in and growled. Penn thrashed under him and Angel landed a hard smack on his arse. " I think you've forgotten what that means boy." Admittedly he had been younger when he sired Penn, and always treated him more of a comrade than he had Spike or Dru, but he had still been controlling.

Penn was panicking. Angel could feel it. Penn didn't know if this was really Angelus demanding to be obeyed like he had 200 years ago, or if he was really going to be staked by his sire. Then he saw the policewoman pick up a board, wooden. Penn gasped and Angel let go of Penn to knock the board out of Kate's hands. She looked terrified at the vampires as she realized Angel was going to protect this murderer. She held Angel's gaze for a few long seconds before making a mad dash for the wood. Darting up, Angel grabbed it first and tossed it as far away down the sewers as he could.

"Neither him nor I am going to hurt you Kate. Just go back to work. I swear he wont be killing anyone else in LA." Penn sat up and looked at Angel with unbelieving eyes but Angel was focused on Kate. 'Please just leave!' Angel thought furiously and was relieved as she turned and fled. They would be hearing more from her, he was sure. But for now he had more immediate issues to deal with.

While Kate fled, Penn jumped up and snorted. Walking away he thought of what an idiot Angel was if Angel really thought he wasn't going to kill anyone else. Angel fumed as he saw Penn walking away. Did he not just tell him he was grounded? What was wrong with him that made Spike and Penn think they could just walk away from him like that? They never did it back in the day, they knew their place. Well, yes, perhaps they had aged. As master vampires they had a right to pursue their own lives, but he still wanted respect. He was still as powerful as Angelus had been wasn't he? Of course, and as their sire his childer should show him respect no matter how old they got. If they weren't going to give it to him willingly, he would demand it.

Undoing his belt he caught up with Penn and kicked him in the back, sending him onto the ground. Not pausing for a second, he lifted the strap and smacked it down hard. Penn gasped in surprise and rolled away taking off his own belt. Flinging it at Angel it hit his arm and Angel was truly confused. "Afraid to get your fists dirty now too? Fine we'll fight with belts if you insist." Penn snapped and Angel's mind went numb. Penn hadn't even recognized the action as a lashing. His attempt at disciplining Penn turned into a fight and Angel did his part mindlessly.

He had no sense of time but focused on his snarling opponent all the while seeing the fledgling he had once been. As Penn kicked, a flash of teaching it to him flickered into Angel's memories. As Penn punched, Angel realized it was a move Penn had picked up on his own and felt an odd sort of pride and sadness. It moved through the sewers and then Angel saw the board. This was it, he was ending their fight. Picking it up, he slammed it into Penn's shoulder and he fell down. Penn was down and out. Blinking, he put his bloody belt back on and picked Penn up. He felt drained, he just wanted to sleep and forget about everything.

He distinctly remembered not even two years ago, becoming Angelus and being in control the instant he stepped into Spike and Drusilla's factory. He hadn't seen them for decades, but his old authority was still there. He never imagined Penn not bending to his will. If there was going to be any fighting from his childer he was sure it would have come from Spike, and Spike only. He didn't like this, he couldn't even begin to accept it. Soul or no soul there was one thing he was not giving up. He would never give up his power, especially his power over the vampires he made and trained. And if that meant bringing out some torture implements he still had stashed away, he would.

Penn woke up dreary and in pain. Looking around cautiously, he was surprised to find himself on a couch. Turning around he was met with the angry eyes of Angelus, or no, now he was 'Angel'. Oh shit. Penn dropped back down, his eyes wide. Attempting to sit up he felt pain rip through his shoulder. A little bit away from his heart was a big piece of wood sticking through him. Turning his head he stared at 'Angel' silently begging for help. If the other vampire wanted him dead, he would be already. So why wasn't Angel moving? The larger vampire endured Penn's confused face for a minute before turning around and going up the stairs.

Penn felt another type of stab in the heart and was horrified for a full three minutes as he recognized it. It was the feeling a childe gets when being abandoned by their sire. Penn let out a loud line of curses, something extremely rare for him. He thought he was over the whole childe thing! He hadn't felt like a childe for over a century, what was going on? Maybe he had some weird relapse when he fell after being stabbed, or maybe he was under some spell. Frowning he decided to concentrate on his wound instead. Carefully he pulled the wood out inch by inch, and the insane thought of praying to live crossed his mind. Finally it was out and Penn felt utterly relieved.

As he closed his eyes, thoughts of his latest trip to LA passed through his mind, and he started to frown again. It wasn't a relapse. He had been feeling something off of Angel ever since he arrived, he had just been brushing it off. The whole childe and sire thing had started to fade after two centuries of being apart, but now it was intensifying again. It had never gone away. As he came to his realization he felt his eyes watering. How could he still care one way or another about his sire? How could Angel be his sire? And why did he have to realize this when Angel was obviously going to continue to hate him? He cared more about that stupid Kate woman and those other two humans than him.

In a fit of anger he jumped off the couch and threw it at the wall. His shoulder bursted with fresh pain at the action and he slumped to the floor moaning.

Angel opened the door to his office wholly absorbed in his thoughts. How could he get Penn back under control, and not scare off Cordelia or Wesley? "Angel!" Cordy yelled in alarm and Angel looked up surprised. He had almost forgotten they were going to be there. Giving the brunette a questioning stare she gave a sheepish half smile and Angel momentarily forgot about Penn. It felt good to be cared about. "Sorry. Battle with Penn, so duh scratches, just woah.." He looked down frowning deeply as he suddenly realized the amount of damage Penn had been able to inflict on him.

"Speaking of which, I take it Penn has been killed?" Wesley interjected and Angel took to shifting around a bit. "I staked him, but it went through his shoulder, not his heart" Angel said looking distressed about how to tell them not killing Penn was intentional. While Wesley looked shocked and then morphed into contemplating, Cordelia got a knowing look on her face, seeing the distressed vampire.

"Angel, now don't go all broody. So you didn't kill him. You got a stake through him, that's something! We all have our bad days. We'll just get you some nice warm pig's blood, a lot of rest, and come tonight we'll make short work of him." Cordelia comforted enthusiastically. "Yes, yes. We'll just keep a look out for murder repots with crosses on the victims cheeks, we'll have him in no time." Wesley said coming out of his musings. Angel swallowed and was just about to try and explain Penn was downstairs when Wesley saved him from doing so. "Maybe we should call that police woman and warn her he's still loose, yes? What was her number again?"

"Ah, I don't think so Wesley. She probably doesn't want to hear from us right now. She was there while I was fighting Penn. I vamped out during the fight and I think, well um she's a bit scared of me right now." Wesley dropped the phone softly with a small 'oh' while Cordelia was a bit more vocal and harumphed. "Well, talk about narrow-minded. Vampire prejudices, don't let it get to you. I didn't like her much any ways." "Cordelia did you even know her?" "Wesley, it was a feeling okay. I can sense things." As Wesley and Angel looked unbelievably at her she took an offended air. "I have visions. I can sense things, it comes with the package." The two stared at her before she finally gave it up and they all laughed. Relieved to finally be laughing, they were cut short by a loud crash from downstairs.

"Angel, you didn't get a really big friendly dog or something while you were out did you?" Cordelia asked knowing that it wouldn't happen but still hoping. "Sort of." Angel answered shortly running down the stairs leaving behind a shocked Wesley and Cordelia. "What did he mean sort of?"

Angel rushed down and took in the sight of a broken couch, a hole in his wall, and a bleeding Penn. Was he ever going to get some peace? Staring at Penn he felt the barrier between them and was suddenly unsure of himself. This was his boy, but he didn't know him. Penn wasn't one for outbursts and random destruction, that was Spike territory. Penn wasn't very original, but he thought before doing things. This could only mean something dramatic had happened.

"Oh my god." Cordy gasped and Penn whipped around, his eyes gleaming gold. "Cordy, Wes, go back upstairs." They both hesitated and then ran. Walking over carefully he stood in front of Penn and waited. "I hate you." Penn growled and Angel was relieved. He wasn't going to fight back, at least not for now. Penn hissed as Angel reached for his wound and then settled for hateful glaring under his sire's stern look. Angel helped pull him up and lead him to the sink, where Penn stood sullenly as Angel cleaned up his shoulder.

"So what happened?" Angel asked casually and Penn gave him a confused stare. What was his trick? He distinctly remembered breaking a piece of Angelus's furniture long ago and getting a horrible beating for it. It was a chair, wooden he was pretty sure. Oh yeah, defiantly wooden. Angelus was outraged Penn had accidently made a pile of deadly stakes. He shivered from the memory and the cold water being poured on him. Penn kept his lips shut tight, testing this 'Angel's' patience, as well as being reluctant to share his discovery about sire/childer relationships. Angel kept an eye trained on him as he wrapped up his childe's wound carefully.

"Angel!" Cordy screamed from upstairs. Looking back and forth from Penn to the stairs he eventually frowned as he came to his decision. "Don't move." Penn watched Angel fly up the stairs blankly. Flexing his arm he decided it felt better. Straining his ears, he heard something about a vision and three pairs of footsteps leaving. He stared around the room and eventually made it to the fridge. Ugh, pig's blood. The humans Angel seemed protective of flashed through his mind and he felt empty.

Now that he knew he still had a connection with his sire, everything hurt. He didn't belong in Angelus's world anymore, he was the enemy. Anger wormed it's way back and Penn took one last sniff of his sire's scent before fleeing. He could ignore these stupid feelings again; he would break away; he'd start new traditions. Navigating through the sewers he could only hope he wouldn't bump into Angel. He wanted to forget the name, the face, absolutely everything about him. He wanted a new name, a new identity. He wanted Penn gone, dead. He'd be a new vampire, one without a sire.

Feeling triumphant Angel walked back to his home. Cordy and Wes had gone home for the night, and they had just saved a woman. He was on an adrenaline rush and feeling very optimistic about making headway with Penn. Before midnight hit he would figure out why his couch got broken, and if all went well by morning Penn would be under control again. Looking through his room his smile abruptly turned into a scowl. He was gone. Anger and impatience surged through him, and all his optimistic feelings vanished. Whenever he found Penn again, Angelus was going to be very happy. Walking over to his chests he tested his nine tails and nodded. Still sharp.


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N: Fair warning- from this point on the story gets a little bit more mature and does involve male-male relationships.)

Chapter 3 Setting: Buffy, Season 4: Episode 20- The Yoko Factor.

_**Chapter 3: Bloody Brothers**_

Buffy frowned and wiped some vampiric dust off. Someone had minions. Making a last sweep of the graveyard she was disappointed to find the boss was apparently hiding somewhere else. She had a good feeling it couldn't possibly be time for another apocalypse already, so hopefully this new threat would be a simple job. She couldn't handle any new master evil on top of Adam. She picked up demon noises, and gripping her stake, she ran. It was a great disappointment to find out the vampire was already being thrashed. After all that with Angel and Riley, well she had just needed a long break.

Spike smashed in the boy's nose and smiled gleefully. He had been a bit short of violence recently, so he was going to make this last. Buffy watched appalled. Spike wasn't just fighting it, he was playing with it. He was taking pleasure from the violence. Buffy stalked up and staked the poor thing and Spike glared. "Oi! He was mine!" "Yeah, well learn to stake vamps then. God, you're such a soulless bastard taking actual pleasure from it." Spike gave her a cocky smile and lit up a cigarette. Buffy, in return, made a disgusted face and stomped off.

She couldn't understand how any of them tolerated him, but they all did. Halfway to Giles' she suddenly smiled. This new vampire was finally going to be a non-Initative issue. She was getting so sick of that stupid Initative. Hopefully those reports Spike gave Willow were going to be helpful. She found she missed the days where the big evils weren't interconnected with humans. Give her a good demon to fight any day. A little sullenly she made her way back to Giles' to see if Willow had made any progress with Spike's files.

Spike laid on his crypt really hoping this plan was almost finished. Adam seemed to be delaying getting the chip out of his head, and it wasn't sitting well with him. His door was swung open and Spike growled. If it was that pesky Slayer or Adam again he would tear their throats out, well he'd want to at least. He caught the whiff of vampires and did a quick count. Five, oh hell. Well might as well get it over with. Making sure he had two stakes at the ready, he got up and tried to buy himself time.

"'Ello. And just what did you need to storm into a bloke's crypt for exactly?" He was met with four stupid stares and a calculating one. Damn! These little fledges were one thing but an educated and experienced vampire, well at least there was only one of them. A minion leapt for him and Spike punched him. Feeling uninhibited he flung himself around beating the four to bloody pulps and staking them. As the fourth dusted he felt himself on the verge of collapsing, that was tough. And now the master vampire. Drawing in a deep breath he tried to steady himself for a more calculated and skilled fight, but thankfully the vampire didn't attack. He was looking at him with something akin to shock.

Feeling prideful, he smirked believing the vampire was impressed with his skills and confused as to why he attacked fellow vampires. "William?" Spike stumbled back and blinked. What? He wasn't drunk was he? No, so why was he hearing things? The elder vampire smiled and Spike gave him a good look. Hold on one moment, he knew that face. "Penn?" He asked incredulously. Forgetting about things for a moment he walked over and clamped the man on the back. "Haven't seen you since 1898. So minions huh?" "Staking vampires huh?" Spike scratched the back of his neck grinning. "Something to do I guess. Until the government chip is out and I can hurt humans again at least. Sorta had to get my jollies out of smashing up other things." Penn nodded taking it in slowly. So William had a chip, and Angelus had a soul. Was he the only normal vampire left?

"Oh, by the way, go by Spike now." William told him and Penn suddenly remembered he had a new name too. "Yeah, I'm going by Jinx." Spike stared at him unbelievably before asking "Why?" "Angelus and his stupid soul. Had to create a new me." Penn answered hoping Spike knew about the soul too. Luckily for him, Spike's eyes lit up at his announcement and grinned.

The two spent the next two hours getting quite drunk and coming up with every insult know to man kind, and some demon ones as well, for Angel. Spike then went into every detail of Angel and the return of Angelus while he was in Sunnydale, and Jinx listened attentively. Reliving a few days from the end of the nineteenth century, they were close to passed out when the door opened. Spike groaned loudly and Jinx looked expectantly at the door. Was it that strange Buffy girl everyone seemed so focused on?

Angel walked off the college campus feeling a bit depressed. Well he had apologized to Buffy, so mission accomplished right? Still, after driving all the way out here he didn't really just want to go back after two hours. Maybe he'd be able to beat up a few more Initative guys.. Whether they were good or evil, he hated them. He had seen enough government attempts to interfere with demon business, and he had despised every one of them. His views on it were pretty clear, as they had been in that demon fighting ring. Some demons were evil and deserved to go to hell, but not even they deserved to be treated as humans' toys.

Though he hadn't gotten the chance to meet up with Riley, three hours later Angel was in a much better mood. He had thrashed a good half dozen of the commando boys and not managed to run into anyone he knew. Passing Spike's crypt he stopped and sniffed again. It was Spike all right, but he was sensing another childe too. Penn. His anger hadn't faded an ounce in the past few weeks. The demon in him was foaming and the soul wasn't exactly pleased either. Flinging the door open he was very disappointed to remember that he didn't have anything with him, not even a belt. Oh well, he'd improvise.

He glowered at Penn and Spike looked back and forth between them going from puzzled to indignant. 'Oi! I'm here too!" "Get out." Angel growled flickering his gaze to Spike. Spike scoffed. This was his crypt, thanks very much. He'd be buggered if he was going to leave. Standing his ground he was completely ignored as Angel lunged at Penn and smashed his head with, you have got to be kidding. His shoe. Things got a bit gorier as the two smashed beer bottles and used the edges to do some serious cutting. The blood was overwhelming Spike and he felt himself erect, hungry, and barely keeping control.

Family blood, yum. Need blood. Spike's body was calling to him and he stumbled to his fridge. It would have to do, just to sate his need a little. After the disgusting pig sludge was settled into his body he was finally able to concentrate. Penn was moaning and Angel had finally found Spike's whip. Penn was shirtless and Spike knew once he could get a good look, Penn's back wouldn't look pretty. He was going to be lucky to be able to walk in two days. The flogging continued and Spike's blood lust came surging back.

It finally ended and Angel turned to Spike. Spike stared wide-eyed and silently proclaimed himself the world's largest idiot for not running away long ago. Flickering his eyes to the door he despaired. Angel was closer to it than him. Well, might as well go down fighting. Running headfirst at Angel he lost all sense and started swinging wildly. Angel had him pushed up against a wall in no time. "Didn't I tell you to get out?" "Don't listen to you any more though, so too bad." Angel dug into him harder and Spike was having unwelcome flashbacks about getting buggered dry when Angelus was this angry. Only problem? This was Angel, and unless Angel knew about Spike working with Adam, why the hell was he so mad?

Angel was fully erect, thanks to all the family blood circulating in the crypt, and half out of his mind. Thrashing those military guys had reminded him of his power, and then coming in here? Disrespected again. Spike didn't follow orders, and Penn had refused to call him sire during the flogging. None of his childer had ever refused to call him sire before, not even Spike. Neither the soul nor the demon could accept it. It hurt. His life was spiraling and he was determined to take back control. Specifically over his childer. Ripping black jeans down the legs of the man in front of him, he undid his own and asserted his dominance the only other way he could think of.

Spike let out a shriek as Angel thrust into him and tore lining. Blood flowed out as Angel pumped him and Spike's own dick was stupidly responding. Spike didn't want to like this, 'go limp!' He yelled at himself. The command had no effect. Reaching around, Angel's hand finally got him to release as Angel exploded into Spike. The blonde stared unbelievably at his own cum and then fell to the floor.

Spike's legs were wobbly and his rear was full of blood and semen. Damn it, how had this happened? His mind clouded from the emotional confusion and he wanted to just sleep. Sleep was a great escape, he could pretend this was all a dream. Because his life seemed to be going to hell. The chip, make nice with the slayer, and now this. His sire suddenly wanted to be, well respected. It was going to suck.

Staring at his boys, he felt an odd sensation. The beating and fucking was odd enough, but that was out of control anger. Seething rage. This was different. Scarier. He was feeling the other side of being a sire. He hadn't felt it for a century, although he hadn't beat his childer for a century either. Now that he had broken them, to teach them a lesson, he was yearning to fix them again. He wanted to soothe them and remind them that when it got really bad, he'd be there for them. He might have just hurt them, but he would also try and protect them.

Angel's mind wandered to Drusilla. He'd have to go find her before she became as out of control as these two. His demon was now incessantly yearning to take care of what was his, and Angel was mentally drained. He decided he didn't want to try and fight his demon on this. He very cautiously let that side of him take over a bit of him. Debating between the two, he decided Penn was still too out of it. Not to mention his anger hadn't drained away quite yet. Sitting down he dragged Spike over to him, where he sat limply in his sire's lap. Looking down at the confused vampire Angel felt a stab of guilt. He had gone a bit crazy, overreacted. Spike hadn't followed one measly order, but that didn't warrant what he had done. He was still angry with Penn and Spike had just been an outlet. "Drink." Angel ordered. Half asleep Spike was in no position to argue. He felt crappy and the pig sludge was close to being tossed back up. Spike latched on without a second thought. Taking three deep gulps he pulled out staying in his true face. Angel switched over to his as well and was happy to see Spike's eyes alert again.

Spike was in shock Angel was acting this way, but it made him feel better than any alcohol had. It was comforting. He could have done without the sex thanks, but at the same time it was good. It meant he was with his sire, and more importantly that Angel still remembered he was a sire. As the sire blood rushed through him Spike felt on top of the world. It wouldn't last, Angel would go back to LA, but it was nice.

Angel licked off Spike's mouth and pulled back keeping eye contact. "You've done good helping Buffy, and I'm happy about that, but never disobey me again. I'm still your sire." Spike sat there for a long while battling with himself, before giving a curt nod and smirking. "Got it. Always you, not the Slayer or her friends, just you. Even if you're evil. Meaning next time the Slayer tells me to do something, I can sit back and sneer saying 'Angel told me not to listen to you, only him'." He finished, and Angel cuffed him lightly. He told all his human friends to kill him if he turned evil, but it felt good to know his childe wasn't going to kill him no matter what 'side' he was on.

He knew Spike was going to actually say that to Buffy at some point, but it didn't worry him. It made him feel good. "Get Penn up?" Angel asked and Spike smirked. Angel was about to get a shock. "Who? Well I'll just get Jinx up. Jinx!" Angel stared at Spike as if he had lost his mind but oddly Penn responded. Moaning he opened his eyes and stared at Spike. "Huh?"

"My sire wants to talk to you." Spike sing-songed, and Angel lightly shoved Spike off his lap. Really, 'my sire'. He was Penn's too. Part of him wanted to leave Penn there, but talking to Spike had calmed him down. Getting up he repositioned himself next to his first childe and pulled Penn towards him. It felt right bonding with these two again. That is until Penn snarled and used up the last of his strength to try and break free. Unprepared for resistance, Angel let go of Penn's twisting form in shock. "Fight or stake me Angelus." Angel swallowed and felt the words strike him. Penn was refusing the care of his sire. It was the worst insult, well expect for killing your sire, Angel reflected sorrowfully.

"Penn." he started, but was abruptly cut off. "Think you're confused old man. Name is Jinx and I'm a self-made vampire." From that one statement, a tidal wave of anger flooded Angel once again. Angel's demon eyes narrowed into slits. No way was he mistaken, this was Penn. He could sense his childer from a mile off if he put his mind to it, though he hadn't done that for a few decades. Penn had enhanced speed, Dru had physic powers, and Spike had the ability to endure mass amounts of pain. He had super climbing abilities, but more importantly, he had the ability to track them down when he wanted, break each one of them into tiny pieces, and put them back together again.

"What? Self-made were you? Interesting. So that flogging I just gave you was a completely new experience. Never had a sire beat you before?" Angel ground out barely restraining his temper. Jinx gulped and mustering up all his courage, looked Angel in the eye. "Never. Sires are useless." Angel flared up and Spike watched curiously. Angel flashed his fangs and he let out a deep angry growl.

Jumping on Jinx, he pounded the vampires head in so badly, any human would have died. "Boy, I'm going to beat sense into you or you're going to wish for a stake!" Jinx was unconscious, blood running through his hair, and his face a mass of bruises and blood. Angel was surging on anger and needed to keep punching something. Restraining himself for a moment, he glared down at Penn fists clenched, knowing he had to leave. He was going to kill Penn if he didn't. Slamming the crypt door open, he ran out to find something big enough to match him.

Angel had been gone for a solid hour and Jinx was still laying in a pool of blood dirtying up Spike's crypt. Maybe he wasn't coming back? Spike decided to run with the assumption and kneeled next to his, friend. He could understand Jinx's need to be something new, but the past was something you couldn't get rid of. Something Spike refused to acknowledge out loud, but knew. He had tried to rid himself of his past more fervently than anyone he knew, and it never worked. Deep down William was still there and there was no way to get rid of him. Picking up Penn, he slung the body over his shoulder, and then dumped him in a tub he had filled with water ten minutes ago, still dressed in jeans and shoes. Carefully, he scrubbed Jinx off, paying particular attention to getting the blood out of his hair.

Jinx felt himself awaken and all the horrible physical pain that came with it. His head was pounding and his back was a mass of pain. Events caught up to him, and Jinx groaned. He should have fled weeks ago, gotten well off the continent Angelus was on. But everyone was talking about Sunnydale, and on his quick visit here he had seen so many little minions. It seemed the perfect place to build up his new name. He tried to figure out if he could still sense Angelus near, but his body was too clouded with pain to register anything.

Then there was a towel drying him off. He was wet? Opening his eyes he saw William and tentatively touched his head. Bringing his hand back down there was no blood and Jinx grinned up at the peroxide vampire. Spike gave a smile reassuring Jinx he was fine, and then got up from his kneeling position on the floor and walked over to fetch his duster. "Go ahead and sleep here if you want. Got a demon Frankenstein to meet. Later mate."

"See you." Jinx said as Spike was already half out the door. Maybe hanging onto some people from Penn's past was a good idea after all. In the future though, he was going to be more weary if his minions wanted to go beat up one of the 'Slayer's little groupies.' He had lost four good minions tonight. Oh well, he would worry about finding new ones later. He was exhausted and in unbelievable pain. Lying on his stomach, he very slowly moved his arms to create a pillow, grimacing with the movements. He never even paid his wet clothes any mind.

Angel sat on a bench, head in his hands. What was he going to do? He had to get back to LA, obviously take Penn with him, but how was he going to rebond with him when Penn wouldn't even admit he had a sire? The more he was around humans, the more he realized he also needed his vampiric connections. He loved Cordy and Wes, but they had also helped him discover his 'range of feelings and emotions'. What he had discovered was apparently his soul didn't stop him from wanting to share his life with his 'family'.

Grimacing about what others would think, he got up to make his way back to the crypt. It was silent save for the gentle hum of a refrigerator. Looking around, his face contorted at the bloody water in a wash tub. Spike and Penn had never gotten along that well. It was a given Spike would rush to Dru's side bathing her, soothing her, and doing everything he could to ease her pain, but Penn?

A few feet away the vampire was completely still, obviously in a deep sleep. Angel stared at the torn up back reflecting he hadn't done something like that for decades. And it showed. The strokes weren't spread out or in any design, it was sloppy. He didn't want to look at it. Taking off his coat he hauled Penn up and shoved the coat on him. The vampire didn't stir at all. Apparently he had lapsed into a healing sleep.

Angel searched for Spike but it seemed he was out. Shrugging, he carried Penn over his shoulder to the car and buckled him up in the passenger seat.

Penn woke up strapped to a seat. Had he been restrained? Looking down he saw it was a seatbelt. He was in a car, being driven by Angel. Damn. He glared at Angel but his eyes stayed focused on the road. Oh but of course, the strapping hero had to be a safe driver too. He realized he was wearing Angel's coat and felt like upchucking. The car stopped and Penn was looking up at a hotel. Apparently Angel had gotten a change of residence.

Angel looked over at Penn and sighed. He grabbed Penn's upper arm tightly, and didn't let go as he unbuckled both their seatbelts and then opened his door. He dragged Penn behind him, making the vampire slide across the driver's seat, his legs fly up uncontrollably, and slam his shoulder into the steering wheel. He fell out of the car in a heap, his arm still raised and being held fast by Angel. Pissed off, he regained his footing, pulled himself off the ground, and slammed his shoe into Angel's shin. Then he groaned and fell over hitting asphalt. Standing hurt too much. Or maybe it had been the motion of kicking. He didn't want to move ever again.

Angel didn't comment, but rather scooped him up and slung him over his shoulder. He ignored the horrible groan of pain from Penn that followed that. Despite the occasional pained groan from Penn, however the walk was made in silence. Both were too mad at each other for insults. Penn wanted to take a power saw and rip up Angel's chest until he came to his soul, tear it up, and stick hot pokers in the rest of Angel's corpse. The fact a soul is not something you can physically rip up was a simple technicality. Angel in the meantime wanted to pound Penn's head until all his arrogance and the idea of 'Jinx' leaked out of his ears, then slowly break all his bones until he was a mass of jelly screaming 'sire, please stop.' To say their relationship was strained at this point would be an understatement boarding on a lie.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 4 Setting: Angel, Season 2; around the time of episodes 4 and 5.

Chapter 4: Discoveries of Darla

Angel walked in as the sun rose. He hadn't had a hard night, or really anything to warrant his tiredness, but it was there. Undressing quickly, he slipped in between his sheets and welcomed sleep. There she was, Darla. As normal, he found himself in bed while Darla entered through the door. Today she wasn't making a sound but strolled toward him smiling slyly. Slowly moving her hand from behind her back, she revealed a chain, and Angel felt a surge of anticipation. He laid passively as Darla got down to crawl on top of him. She straddled him and without warning lunged down ravishing his mouth. He felt his hands getting tied up, and slowly Darla trailed her kisses down his neck and chest.

Using her nails she left two long scratches on his stomach and then licked them making Angel shudder. Any other time Angel would let her continue her ministrations, but Cordy and Wes were getting worried about him. He wanted to stay here in his dream, but knew if he woke up quickly and then went down to hang out with them it would make his life much easier. Hopefully it would stave off the suspicious glances he got whenever he went to his room, and no more of them reaching for crosses every time he smiled a bit. As Darla did something particularly amazing to his cock, he strained his muscles and made no sound, but focused his efforts on breaking the chains. It worked. What type of cheap chain was she using?

Flipping them over, he looked into Darla's eyes for permission to take over. Giving a tiny nod, she propelled upwards giving Angel a peck on the lips, then biting purposefully down on his lip. Thrusting into her, he latched his mouth onto hers, letting her suck his blood stained mouth. They moved as one, each very familiar with the other. Climaxing together, Darla bit her own tongue and Angel got a taste of sire blood. Feeling his eyes widen, all thoughts about waking up were erased. Only one mattered, Darla. His sire.

Penn slumped against the sewer wall hoping Angel wasn't going to check his room today. The humans had no idea he was there, but Angel kept a watchful eye on him. Constant threats kept him in that little hotel room and drinking pigs blood. It was disgusting. He also was a bit terrified of the government sponsored demon hunters that seemed to roam the state. The idea William had been captured had him weary of them, and even though he hated Angel with a passion, him being near helped. Not that he would ever admit this out loud of course. He still maintained he was a self-made vampire outwardly, even if he felt the safest whenever Angel was near him. But ignoring that, life in LA was very boring.

He still went out at night and stayed in shape. It was just so very pathetic. He had begun the mundane habit of graffiti and always tried his best to get caught. Evading the slow LA cops seemed to be the highlight in his life now. He had also used all this extra time to sharpen up his pick pocketing. He had quite a wad of cash hidden at this point, probably enough to actually buy the things he wanted. Too bad stealing was more fun.

Walking back up to the hotel, he stopped and watched curiously as a lady slinked out. A thief? Well, she seemed to be a good one. If it hadn't been for his remarkably good night vision he never would have spotted her. Too far away to see clearly, he passed into the hotel without a second thought. What did he care if Angel had been robbed? Going through the back entrance, he sensed there were no humans and sighed in relief. Their voices had become a constant source of annoyance over the last few weeks, hence the drawn up plans his room contained, outlining 38 different ways to go about killing them. Well that, and the fact he was not chipped or souled but simply a vampire yearning for blood.

Angel blinked his way back into awareness, Darla's visit calming him in a way nothing else could. He ached for her to be real, to be here, but knew they were just dreams. She was gone forever, and it was his fault.

Darla clung to the wall's shadow, wide-eyed as she watched a man walk into the hotel. She thought Wolfram and Hart knew all 'the players' but apparently not. Who was he? The others had left a few minutes ago, so Darla decided it was worth the risk. Sliding back into the hotel, she followed the man at a great distance.

Penn picked up the heartbeat and smiled. Maybe he would finally get a decent dinner, and Angel would never find out. Thieves didn't normally have families that would report their disappearance to the police after all. Careful not to startle the human, he continued to walk to his room, leave the door open a bit, and waited for her to enter.

Darla knew it might be a trap, and he might be waiting for her, but she was over 400 years old. She could handle whoever it was. Walking in, she was taken by surprise when a body pressed against her, a hand on her throat, the other pinning her arms to her sides. How had he moved so fast? How could she not have sensed him moving? She hated being human. The chest behind her wasn't moving and Darla's eyebrows rose. There was another vampire here? "Let go of me right now, or I'll shove a cross up your ass."

Penn's first thought was this was a new lackey of Angel's. How else would she know about vampires? Then she turned her head around to glare at him and Penn's world fell apart. His victim, his human victim, looked exactly like Darla.

Darla's glare was gone in an instant as she took in the familiar demon face. She longed to have her own back, to be able to bite, and was overcome with a tidal wave of jealousy. Why couldn't they have brought her back as a vampire? It was torture feeling herself age, knowing how dull all her senses were. Then she focused on the actual vampire, and gasped. How could that idiot Lindsey miss a player so interconnected with Angel's past? And why was her boy letting Penn stay here? He had staked her only a few years ago, but Penn was a welcomed guest? This was an outrage! "Does Angel know you're here?" She demanded, determined to find out what made Penn so special.

Penn was still too out of it to respond. Darla was here, as a human. Penn's world was getting stranger and stranger. Presently his family members were souled, chipped, and human. At this rate Drusilla had probably become an Ethro Demon or a nun. Her still being a vampire seemed much too much to hope for at this point. "Come with me." Darla instructed and Penn did, willing to do about anything to figure out how she had become human.

Lindsey watched the door nervously awaiting Darla's return. He knew it was a part of the plan, but he couldn't stop worrying that something was going to happen to her. He wasn't sure if she even understood how vulnerable she was as a human. Or there was also always the possibility of Angel figuring out his dreams weren't just dreams. They had to be sure when he finally saw Darla in the waking world, it would appear he was going mad.

The door swung open and Lindsey's nerves relaxed as Darla waltzed in. "Anything happen?" He asked and Darla smiled. "Quite a bit. He seemed reluctant to stay at first, but I convinced him his little friends weren't worth it. Want to know how?" He gulped. No, he didn't really want to know about her sex life, especially since at the moment it didn't include him. "But rather normal progress, nothing out of the ordinary?" He continued and Dalra rolled her eyes and nodded. "Yes, it's all fine." Picking up the bottle of water Lindsey had for her, she reflected it wasn't nearly as satisfying as blood used to be.

Angel slammed the door shut and kicked it just for good measure. Penn was gone. Had Penn gotten word the Initiative had been all but destroyed? Was he still in LA or had he left the state by now? He was so mad! Racing out into the sewers, he turned on all his senses and hunted frantically for his childe. Three hours later had him on his bed being comforted by his sire, as he started tearing up. "I don't understand Darla. Why does he hate me? Because he has to drink pig's blood? There are worse things, am I that horrible of a sire?"

She had to repress a gag. She wanted her cocky childe back. All this self-doubt of Angel's had her wishing she was back at Wolfram and Hart. That wish was short lived though. Looking down, she couldn't resist the boy. His physique was Angelus'. The same body she loved more than anything. And when she thought about it, this actually did remind her of some very tender moments between the two. This self-doubt wasn't that bad. She had been the one Angelus went to with his guards down after all. She'd consoled him before.

It was then she realized she had begun to stereotype him. While he defiantly brooded more after getting the soul, Angelus had brooded some before too. Angelus wasn't just some cocky man who loved torture, thought that was a big part of him. He was more rounded. She couldn't believe she had begun to forget that. Darla moved his head off her lap and laid down to snuggle into him. "You hide him like you're ashamed of him. You trap him in a room Angelus and don't let him do what his instincts scream to do. What did you think would happen?"

Angel buried his head into Darla's shoulder and shook. "Losing you was unbearable. I have nightmares about it almost as horrible as my nightmares about hell at times. I can't loose them too Darla, I can't." Darla wanted to slap him and tell him he shouldn't have dusted her then, but restrained herself, barely.

"Well perhaps it's time to make a few concessions then. Let him roam where he wants in the hotel, and maybe get him some blood from a hospital." Angel frowned and Darla sighed in exasperation. It wasn't an expression of anger like she had expected, but one of deep thought. Her boy did brood quite a bit these days. "He'll come back, don't worry." Angel started to nod off and Darla gave him one last caress before slipping out from his grip and making her way back to Wolfram and Hart. Lying to Angelus had gone easier than expected. She hadn't been sure if her human form would make her feel guilty over lying or not. It was nice to find out being human hadn't made her a complete sap.

Penn was ecstatic. Lounging in an office, he was roused by the delicious scent of human blood. Opening his eyes he saw Darla come in with a bag of it, and it made her seem like the savior of his world. If he was still forced to drink from bags at least they weren't filled with swine blood. Not that this would hold a candle to the man he ate last week of course. But Darla had made it clear that eating normally couldn't happen in LA with Angel's gang on patrol. She told him last Monday's meal was his last one and for some unfathomable reason he was obeying. She tossed the bag to him carelessly, and he snatched it up in an instant. "Whose office?" Darla asked with little interest staring at the decor and making a face.

Penn shrugged knowing full well it was meaningless small talk. "According to the papers, an independent writer who committed suicide by overdosing." Darla gave him a look and Penn grinned. "It's true. Made him shove the pills down myself before sucking him dry." "And the cross on his cheek, and the fang marks?" "No cross, and the LA police didn't pay the throat much mind. Stupid humans, you know?" Oh how arrogant he was. 'Stupid humans'. Comments like that were exactly why she yelled at him last week after finding this writer's blood on his chin.

Regardless, Penn's explanation had Darla a bit thrown. Penn had given up his trademark cross? He was still doing it in the 1960s when she had bumped into him briefly in Toronto. Invited him to stay with her sire too, but he declined. Couldn't be blamed really, most younger vampires had been scared of 'The Master.' Not that he was that young now, but still. Nodding briefly she noticed the computer was on, and without asking made her way over to see what he had up. E-mail, how boring. Scanning the messages she found they were to Penn, or the deceased had very strange friends who complained about mold in their crypts, and Slayers cheating at poker. "What type of name is Jinx?" She finally asked. Penn glowered and swivelled in the chair. He slurped up the last of the blood and remained silent. Why did everyone question his name? He liked it. He thought Jinx was a great name, better than Spike at least.

Then he noticed Dalra's face light up and Penn felt a knot of fear form. What had she found? He ran through all the e-mails he had gotten over the last week mentally but was still at a loss. "You just got a new e-mail Penn, and guess who from?" The only people that he e-mailed were his former minions; they still looked at him for advice. But they were all young, surely not anyone Darla would care about. Unless, had Angel somehow gotten hold of his e-mail address? Penn had never sent him anything, but he supposed Angel might have run into Derrik. Derrik had decided to drive out of Sunnydale two nights ago, but no one knew where he had headed.

"Dear Penn, why do you keep things to yourself? Have I not been good to you? Not that it matters, I am your grandsire. This withholding from me is quite worth a thrashing." Penn ground his teeth togther and curled his lip. Then paying no heed to her threat, he made a point of stretching and leaning back as if to nap, looking quite bored. Darla scowled at him and vowed she would become a vampire again. They both knew no matter what their past was, Darla was for now the weak human and Penn had no obligations to listen to her.

Darla walked out thoroughly agitated about her current state of being alive, and a mind full of plans on how to use this new information to bring her boy back. William was here too, and only two short hours away. With all three of his childer there, plus his sire, Angel couldn't possibly ignore the impulse to desert his humans and rejoin his real family.

Spike watched the TV screen avidly as Passions played, hardly tuned into the world around him. The door opened and using the fact it hadn't been slammed open, deduced it must be Harmony back from shopping. Good, he was in no mood to deal with that Slayer twit. Then he caught the sound of a heartbeat. He sighed turning off the TV in defeat. It was her, damn.

"What now Slayer?" Darla watched him through narrowed eyes, quite fed up. William had sided with that Slayer too? That was the final straw, she would get that Law Company to kill the Slayer even if it meant having sex with Lindsey to get him on board with the plan. "William."

Spike froze hearing that voice and felt much smaller suddenly. Darla? Turning his head, he almost fell out of his chair. Darla was there, as a human. The door swung open again and Spike was rather terrified it would be another vampire back from dust. "Blondie Bear! I'm back and they had the most amazing sale, I got...who's she?" Harmony questioned holding her shopping bags. Dalra stared at her with eyebrows raised rather shocked. Was she referring to William, as 'blondie bear'? And to think she had been worried about Penn's new name.

Harmony had gone into demon face and Darla raised an eyebrow at her granchilde who seemed to be fighting an internal struggle. The fight in William came to an end and he turned around flicking the television back on. "She's not food Harm." The young vampire's fangs quickly retracted and were replaced by a pout. "Why Spike?" Oh thank goodness. William was still Spike; a horrible name but better than 'blondie bear'. William remained transfixed by the screen and seemed disinclined to give any explanations. The girl noticed this as well. Darla observed with true curiosity. The girl stared at William for a while and then narrowed her eyes resorting to quite amusing dramatics.

"Fine! I give up. I don't care why she isn't food, but just know you owe me one and you better make this up to me or I'm walking out!" Spike slumped a bit more into his chair and Darla worked studiously to keep a neutral expression. As the young one made her way to the lower level of the crypt Darla made sure she didn't see any traces of Drusilla before pinning William under an amused look. "Whatever possessed you to leave Drusilla for her? Is she your childe?"

William's eyes bugged out and then hastily corrected her. "No, defiantly not. Harmony's just some girl." Good, so hopefully this Harmony girl wouldn't be a bother then. As to where Drusilla was, Darla had a sneaking suspicion William knew nothing. "Well then, pack whatever you want and get moving."

Spike looked up at Darla in wonder. He wasn't an idiot; follow a human Darla to who knows where? He didn't think so. "Hang on a tic. One, where are you taking me? Two, how the hell are you human? Three, I don't think I want to go anywhere ta very much."

Darla once again yearned for her power. "I was brought back to life William. I may have come back a human but I still have all my memories in tact." Bringing out the crossbow from her jacket she stared at him dead on taking him by surprise. With no time to react, and knowing how good her aim could be, Spike slowly nodded his head in acceptance to her. When the Slayer pulled a stake, it was the threat of a quick death. This stake was meant for his stomach, and once in pain, to be chained up and tortured. With Darla's knowledge on the subject, it was a much more frightening prospect than death.

Down below, Harmony heard Spike coming down and smiled. He was going to apologize! No, wait, what was going on? Harmony watched her lover run around stashing CDs in his pockets and knew this was him packing. "You're leaving?" Looking up Spike stared at Harmony and admitted he was honestly going to miss her. She was annoying as hell, but she was also always there for a shag or cheering him up when he felt suicidal. Well alcohol helped cheer him up to, and Harmony's brand of comfort was ten times more annoying than anything he had ever heard, but it was still there.

Grabbing her, he kissed Harmony fiercely and then said his goodbye. "Give Sunnydale hell for me Harm." Harmony watched Spike pound back up the stairs and blinked out of her daze. Racing up after him she was startled to see Spike was already halfway out the door, following that human. Did that woman work for Buffy? Looking around, the place suddenly seemed very empty. She wandered over to the couch trying to process what could have just happened. After a few minutes of staring into space tears started to well up and streams of salt water soon followed. Walking over to the other side of the crypt, she started to carefully take out her new purchases from their shopping bag. It was a valiant attempt at distracting herself, but not even their fun designs and colors could help make her feel better.

Hands stuffed in his pockets, he focused on the outline of the CD cases, trying to block out the fact he was following orders from a little human woman. Blonde and determined, one would think she would remind him of the Slayer, but the connection was never made. Next to Darla, the Slayer was just a blip. Darla invoked so many feelings and memories it made his head spin. The Slayer only invoked feelings of annoyance and anger.

The apartment door opened and Spike was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't bad, and Penn was sitting lazily on the couch sucking real human blood out of a bag. Spirits uplifted, he spun towards Darla and before he could even ask, a bag hit the side of his head. Glancing over at a smirking Penn, Spike took the bag off the floor and wondered if he ought to bother heating it up. Screw it, he hadn't drunk human blood in forever. A fang pierced the bag and Spike gulped greedily. Feeling invigorated he desperately wished it was still dark enough to go out and beat the crap out of something.

"Hungry?" Darla pressed suspicious of William's eagerness for cold blood. Spike stopped cold, unsure if his chip would disgust Dalra so much he'd be staked. Penn stared at him, using this to figure out how brave Spike actually was. Spike licked blood off his teeth as he pondered whether there was any way he could hide his handicap from Darla. Well he could for now, but not forever. And deep down inside he really did hope this bringing together of family was a long-term thing.

Making his way over to the couch he propped up his feet to try and keep an image up as he articulated one of the worst experiences of his life. Darla took it all in grim faced and silent. Spike tensed when he had finished, but Darla did nothing. "So why isn't Penn hunting?" Spike asked trying to change topics. "He needs to keep a low profile." Dalra said in a far away voice and Penn rolled his eyes showing he thought Darla was being a bit paranoid. Turning around, she walked out and Spike was left a little more than confused. Was Darla mad? And more importantly, mad at him or the Initiative?

An hour later Spike and Jinx were both laying on the floor full of bruises having just fought for the heck of it. They both felt sated, sleepy and happy. Though neither one knew what they were expected to do next, for now life was good and they had to admit, Darla wasn't being so bad.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 5: Spike Gets His Bite Back

Lindsey and Lilah looked over the files with a frown. Finally Lilah looked up and stared at Darla doubtfully. "And you're sure he'll help?" "He'll do anything to get the chip out." Darla answered evenly. The two lawyers looked at each other and eventually nodded. "Done. Bring him in tomorrow."

Darla hated this. She hadn't wanted Wolfram and Hart to know a thing about Penn and William. But after a century William was still messing up everything. Not only had he lost Drusilla, he had gone and gotten 'fixed.' She wasn't spending all this time to get Angelus back, only to still have a vampire who can't hurt humans in the mix. He was getting that chip out.

Angel looked around his room, getting more and more agitated as nothing happened. Where was she? Cordelia had been a pain in the ass today, and he needed to vent. He needed to be able to go to demon face and growl without everyone turning a stake on him. Getting off the bed he walked to the door and opened it, only to see an empty hallway. Slamming it shut he spun and slammed his fist into the wall. Not noticing the web of cracks he had made, he slumped down to the floor and felt very alone. He wanted his sire.

"Now the terms are binding, and" "Yeah yeah. Give me the pen mate." Spike interrupted snatching it away. Without one reservation he scratched his name onto the paper and shoved it back complete with the bloody signature. "Good. Now please follow me down to the labs." Spike jumped up and followed eagerly. If this worked he'd do absolutely anything Darla told him to do. She was his best friend if these lawyers could prove they had some brains under their cocky attitudes.

Spike grit his teeth and clenched the armrests. He was a master vampire, he could take the pain, he could..."Darla!" He couldn't take it. Punches, blood, that was normal pain. This was so much worse. His brain could feel every incision and he didn't care about anything other than making it stop. "Hurry up." Darla demanded of the doctors, trying to remain calm. She didn't honestly like Spike, but this was ridiculous. This had to be the weakest medicine to numb the brain ever created. Anyone else would have blessedly passed out but Spike was pain-resistant just enough that he maintained awareness. The professionals kept at it and Spike whimpered again. Darla promptly turned around and stomped back out. She had to leave the room before she ripped their throats out, even if she was a human.

Darla came back in once the procedure was complete to see Spike sleeping on the lab table. Tilting her head, she motioned Penn in. Making sure there was no one around, she signaled Penn to pick Will up, and the trio went on their way. Slipping inside the hotel, Penn left Spike on Angel's bed and promptly snuck back out. Hopefully Darla knew what she was doing.

Spike awoke to massive pain and an angry face. Taking a look at Angel he deduced he had been punched, not helping his throbbing head any. "What do you think you're doing here Spike?" Darla dumped me here? What the hell am I supposed to do now? Keep him from killing me I guess. "Mission from Buffy. I came to get you, you weren't here, so I took a nap." Glaring but satisfied, Angel sat down wondering if he could face Buffy again. "How bad is it?"

Spike chewed his lip thoughtfully. He wasn't supposed to do much fighting for the next week, until his head healed itself up well. Well according to those doctors. "Not horrible. Think she just wanted a break from me. Jealous you know? Gotten pretty close to her mum and friends, couldn't handle such amazing competition." Angel snorted before noticing, something. Something was different. In a flash he was up and twisted Spike's head around. A patch of hair was missing. "Oi! Watch it! That hurts!"

"You got the chip out!" Angel accused. Shit. Couldn't have that. "No. Tried but doctor didn't get it. Ask Buffy." Keeping his eyes trained on Spike, Angel reached for the phone and dialed Buffy's number. That had been a close call. Reaching up he found his hair really was missing and fumed internally. That had not been in the contract! It would take at least a week to grow back and make him look normal again. Over on the other side of the room Angel looked over at Spike narrowed eyed. "Well your doctor story checked out, but she never sent you here." Oh, he forgot he had said that. Well this was just ridiculous. Darla was out of her mind. Spike was blunt and not tactful. How the hell was he supposed to manipulate Angel when he couldn't even keep track of his lies well enough to save his own skin?

"Well obviously." he snorted racking his brain desperately for some way out of this mess. "Just needed to get out of Sunnydale for a while, a vacation. Thought I could get some free blood, a bed, and time to watch the telly. Buffy story was just to distract you while I relaxed." "And you thought that was going to work?" Angel asked dubiously. Spike fought of the urge to slump in relief, instead focusing on a way to make Angel leave. Shrugging his shoulders he remained nonchalant. "You know me, not so good at planning. Anyway, got any blood?" A stony stare met his and he fidgeted a bit, not quite so certain Angel had bought his bull-shit story as he had been 30 seconds previously.

Angel stared at Spike keeping up an assured expression, but full of doubt internally. It had used to be so easy to tell when Spike was lying. Will would lie all the time as a fledge to get out of a punishment, and Angelus would always be able to catch it. Now Angel might as well flip a coin to ascertain if Spike was lying or not. He hated himself for it. Well he supposed there was only one thing to do now. "There's some otter blood in the fridge." Spike had to fight down his gag reflex, not at all willing to go back to drinking animal blood. Drinking it back in Sunnydale because he was starved was one thing, but now that he was able to hunt again he couldn't imagine drinking anything but human blood. "Otter! Don't you people make any money doing your hero gig? Thanks but I think I'll go look for a demon bar. Bound to have some decent blood in one of them." He grumbled rather angry at Angel for not even having decent blood. He owned a freakin' hotel but couldn't afford a glass of B negative? He didn't believe it for a second. The selfish bastard was probably holding out on him.

Angel scowled at Spike. What right did he have to complain? It's not like the muck Spike was living off of in Sunnydale was any better then Angel's otter blood. "Fine. Go! I'm sure you're just loaded with money for blood." Spike lifted his chin in defiance. "Actually I am. Night Angel." Spike lifted himself off the bed and strutted out of the room, his bald patch the last thing Angel saw before the door slammed shut. Did Spike really have money? Angel deduced that Spike had probably stolen it all, when he realized he couldn't even tell if Spike had been bluffing or not. Back in Sunnydale Spike had managed to trick him into thinking he was wheelchair-bound for weeks, and through that Angel had gotten pulled into hell. With growing alarm about the danger Spike could present, Angel vowed he would reconnect with Spike before the blonde disappeared back to Sunnydale. It was crucial to the world's safety that he reconnect with his childe enough to be able to tell when he was lying. How could Cordy, Wes or Gunn object to that? The fact that Darla had been absent for two days had nothing to do with wanting Spike around. It didn't. Even as he thought it, he knew it was a lie. But, was this so bad? Spike was a 'good guy' now right? Well, kind of good. So, hanging out with him wouldn't be like an Angelus sort of thing, right? Angel left his room confused and doubtful.

Spike was stomping down the sewers halfway to a demon bar when he realized two things. Firstly, it was dark out and he was using the sewers. Secondly, he had made it out of the hotel. He was free! Now where the hell was that bitch Darla? How could she just dump him into Angel's bed like that? If she wanted him staked, why bother convincing those lawyers to fix his head? Maybe being human had made her go around the bend. Whatever her issue was, he needed to head back to the apartment. He had no idea what Darla thought she was doing, but he could always break her legs or something to keep her in check now that he had the chip out.

Penn's head shot up as he smelt sewer outside his door. Who would wander through those things when it was still perfectly dark outside? Spike stormed in slamming the door shut behind him. "You are aware it is 5 am?" Spike scowled and marched over to the fridge. "Darla is going to be pissed you left the hotel." Spike, still facing the fridge as he gulped his dinner, shrugged his shoulders seeming to be at complete ease, making Penn feel complete uneasiness. "Spike?"

"Jinx," Spike said suddenly pivoting around to look at him. "Exactly why do you care what a crazy woman thinks or if she'll be mad? We are two unrestrained, strong, smart vampires. I say we're in charge and if Darla has an issue with that, we'll tie her up." The idea of Darla being tied up and helpless made him feel slightly ill, and wondered how Spike wasn't finding anything wrong with the idea.

"What? Darla isn't your grandsire. You were self-made right?" Spike mocked and Penn's brows furrowed giving a nod. "Yeah." "In fact, let's kill her!" Spike pressed and Penn felt his stomach lurch. No, he couldn't kill Darla, he had to stop Spike. "But, she gives us blood." He rebuked and Spike stared at him as if he was simple. "Jinx, we're vampires. You can get blood, better blood, by tearing into necks." Oh, right. He watched with growing horror as Spike pulled out a dagger and made for the door.

"No, stop!" He yelled running to the door and blocking Spike's exit. "Why?" Spike snarled. "Because, she's your grandsire." "I don't care." Spike rebuked emotionless. "Well I do." "Why?" Spike asked again his face slipping into his vampiric visage. "Because, damn it Spike she's my blood." He felt sick and wanted to punch Spike for making him say it. "So you do have a sire?" Spike asked, still with a snarl of his demonic visage. Penn stared at the dagger Spike was holding before giving a very reluctant nod. "Good, because it's going to take both of us to try and get our sire back." Penn's mouth dropped open and he stared. "Huh?"

The two were sloshing through the sewers and Penn was still confused. "So, you thought Darla was nuts. Then decided there was a reason she dumped you in the hotel. You decided to try and get Angelus back, and then two minutes from the apartment you realized you needed me to do the planning part and keep you from digging yourself into a hole?" At Spike's nod he shook his head in disbelief. Spike could be so much more logical than he put on. He might have doubted Spike's ability to accomplish changing Angel's ideas on his fanged family, if he wasn't still reeling from the fact Spike had been able to manipulate him into admitting he had a sire.

The next evening Spike was deeply regretting putting Penn in charge of the planning. Stumbling into the hotel, he smiled at a black man who was staring at him wide eyed and reaching for a cross bow. "'Lo. Where's Angel?" "Who wants to know?" Spike rolled his eyes and shouted up the stairs. "Angel, Cordelia, or Watcher! Get the hell down here and explain to the man with a cross bow that I'm not killable!" Gunn watched on edge as he saw Angel racing down the stairs. He waited for a signal from Angel on wether or not to kill him, but was completely ignored.

"Spike, what the hell happened?" "The chip." Spike answered bitterly. Angel looked a bit concerned and Gunn was not about to be clueless if some big evil was going down. He was getting some answers. "Hold on. First off, how does he know you all, secondly who is 'The Chip', and is there a reason he is not dust, because that funky sewer smell ain't no cologne." Spike raised an eyebrow before brushing past him. The crossbow guy did have a point. Not that he was the most hygienic creature, but why smell like shit? "Where are you going!" Angel shouted after him as Spike ascended the stairs. "Shower."

Angel turned around to meet a frowning Gunn and gave a weak smile. "He helps fight evil. Well kind of." "He's a good guy?" Gunn asked dubiously and then gave a small smile shaking his head. "Just can't have normal people on your side can you? He souled too?" Gunn smiled wider at Angel's expression before finally giving into a laugh. "Guess that's a no then." "Yeah, the government put a chip in his brain which keeps him from hurting humans." Gunn put all the new information together and then widened his eyes in shock. "You mean humans did that to him? Man, wha'd he do?" Angel shrugged extremely curious about that himself as well as who exactly had hurt Spike.

Spike was extremely bored. The water was producing a comfortable type of pain as it streamed onto his cuts and bruises. Provoking that group of teens to beat him up was easy. It was the resisting to not tear them all up to shreds until they had actually injured him that was difficult. Where the hell was Angel? He had been ready to carry on step two of Penn's plan for what felt like ages. Waiting around staring a shower wall was not his idea of a good time.

Angel had been sitting on his bed for fifteen minutes now and Spike was still in his shower. He was getting worried. "Spike?" He called out knocking on the door. Getting no response he tried again, only to be met with the steady sound of water running. "Spike shut it off and get out here!" No response. "You have one minute before I'm going to force you to pay this month's water bill!" The water was abruptly shut off but Spike did not emerge.

Growling in annoyance he tried the door knob, rather shocked when it easily swung open. "What are you doing?" Spike was leaning against the shower wall looking at a swollen wrist and globs of gel were in his hair. "Leave." Spike bit out but Angel didn't move. Spike gave him a side-length glare before giving up. "Fine. Stay there you poof." Grumbling to himself, Spike took hold of his wrist and braced himself as he tried to move the bone back into place. A whimper escaped and Angel looked down at the injury in worry. "I'll be right back." "Angel!" Spike yelled after him, but the Irish man was already rushing out into the hallway. Two minutes later Angel came back with supplies for a splint and made his way over Spike's clothes which were all notably strewn on the floor. "Hold it out." Sighing in irritation, Spike flung his arm out as Angel fixed it up. Spike looked at his new splint warily, and then towards his duster on the floor. "My duster better be able to fit over this thing or I'm tearing it off."

"Do that, I'll break your other wrist and you'll have splints on both." It wasn't a joke but Spike had to beat down a smile regardless. The plan was working. "Is that my gel?" Angel accused. "Oh! Yeah, forgot about that." Angel glared but Spike paid him no mind, using the gel to fashion his hair in a way that would hopefully cover the bald spot. "Can you still see it?" "It's a mess." Scrunching up his nose, Spike used his good hand to once again try and rearrange his bleach blonde clumps. Angel cringed at the attempt and slapped his hand down. "Ow!" "Shut up Spike." Spike would have made further comment, if not for the fact that Angel's fingers were now trying to comb out his hair to make it look decent. He shut his eyes and basked in the feeling of having his sire's hands on him, even if it was just his hair.

"There. Now for god's sake Spike, get dressed." Angel left to go check on how Wesley's research was going, leaving Spike to snatch his clothes off the floor and struggle into them one-handed. He wondered if anyone would notice if he snuck out and killed someone. He gave it some serious thought before deciding it wasn't worth the risk.

Angel came back upstairs to find a blonde nuisance taking up the majority of his bed. Like hell he was letting Spike sleep there. Not bothering to wake him up, Angel promptly leaned over and gave a mighty shove. Spike took the sheet with him as he rolled to the floor and Angel frowned. "Put the sheet back." Spike blinked up at him still drowsy with sleep, not quite sure what Angel was talking about or where he was. He stared at the wallpaper quizzically before it all came back to him. Right, what was the next step of Penn's plan again?

Spike carelessly bundled the sheet up into a ball and tossed it back on the bed. Angel sighed. Did Spike have to be so difficult? Grabbing the sheet, Angel was busy spreading it onto the bed when he caught a glimpse of Spike out of the corner of his eye. Great, like it wasn't hard enough ignoring Spike last time in the bathroom. At least then he was just standing still, looking like a little injured boy. Stretching was a whole other matter. Spike's flexing muscles teased him and Angel felt sharp irritation. "Have you developed some deep hatred for clothing?" Spike stopped mid-stretch to glance over at Angel accusingly. "Well sorry, but I got hot. What type of vampire needs to keep his bedroom so fucking hot sweat rolls off?"

"It's not that hot." Angel muttered a bit insulted. The open disbelief he was getting from Spike unnerved him even more. God, he had to get out of this room. Everything about it seemed so wrong now that Spike was here. The heating, the plants arrayed on the far wall, the index card poking out of his back pocket that had the telephone number for the pizza place written on it. Not that he ate pizza, but Cordy had gotten him to order it for everyone else about an hour ago. Uncomfortable with the whole situation he scanned the room for the discarded jeans. Finding them , he snatched them off the carpet and hurled them in Spike's face.

"Just, get dressed." Angel muttered. Spike let them hit him and drop to the floor without making a move to catch them. Instead he smirked and drawled "What? Last I remember you liked seeing me this way." Angel gave his body a brief glimpse before remembering to control himself. Looking up, he remained focused on Spike's smug mug. "Not for decades Spike. Your scrawny ass isn't anything I ever want to see. Your face is bad enough" That one stung. Logically, he should have expected it, but it still hurt. Spike really wished he had his own place to storm off to. And then once he was there he could get drunk or curl up and mope. Either option seemed good. But Jinx was in the apartment, and he really didn't need Jinx to see him running away from Angel like a hurt puppy. Maybe he should storm off to a bar. But before anything like that could happen, his hurt turned predictably into anger and he lashed out.

"Really? Because if you ask me you were just too happy to bury your dick inside it a few weeks ago!" Spike was about to elaborate when a low growl stopped his tirade before it even left the station. Angel's eyes were flashing gold and Spike desperately tried to hide his confusion and fear. "You really want that again? Me hard and angry slamming into you. Pounding you into a whimpering puddle. Don't tempt me boy." Spike stared completely thrown off track by the last word. He'd only heard Angelus ever use it. Or, hang on a tic. Maybe not. Hadn't Angel called Penn 'boy' while smashing his head in a few weeks ago? Actually, now that he thought about it that whole night had been strange. Well, he knew it was bloody strange when it happened, but he had never actually gone back and analyzed the night. Now that he really thought about it, those few hours it could have just as well been Angelus in his crypt. Well, except that he told Spike he was happy Spike was helping the sodding slayer. So obviously it had been Angel, but still. Things weren't adding up.

"Angel?" Spike asked hesitantly. The hulking vampire made no reply but continued staring at him with demonic eyes. They were heated and lust filled. Spike wasn't sure if he was happy or not there was a bed in between them stopping Angel from being in arm's reach. The moments ticked by and Angel's eyes turned back to brown while Spike waited out of curiosity to see what would happen. Angel, as it turned out was very grateful for the barrier. Without it, he was sure he would have done something to Spike. Regaining his senses, he quickly tried to change topics.

"You, um, seem to be healing." Spike stared at him as of he'd gone mad. "What the bleedin' hell is wrong with you?" he all but screamed. Angel adopted a innocently puzzled expression and Spike felt like smashing something. He did not like being played with. To be honest, Angel was just as frustrated as Spike. He kept adopting this 'menacing' persona whenever he was angry or horny. At the time it always felt completely natural, something remarkable in itself. These days there didn't seem to be much at all that felt natural to him. It didn't seem to look natural to anyone else though. Whenever they saw him fighting Cordy and Wes always seemed scared of him afterwards, and now Spike was scared of him too. The only one who didn't seem scared of him was Darla and she was in his imagination so it didn't even count.

True to form, Angel had to give some serious thought to the question Spike posed. What was wrong with him? Maybe, maybe it was nothing. Maybe he was just finally getting back into shape. Cordy and Wes had never seen him fight at his best. His fighting skills had just probably been improving, making him a more formidable fighter than they thought he was. Seeing more strength and power in his attacks, even if the attacks weren't aimed at them, would be bound to scare Cordy and Wes. Despite having experience with demons, they were still just humans.

He grinned. Spike was even scarier when fighting. He was well known for his recklessness. In actuality Angel probably killed with more speed and efficiency, but Spike gave off the appearance of an uncontrollable swirl of fists and fangs. If anyone was going to make him seem like a controlled fighter it was Spike. "Nothing's wrong with me." He was rudely interrupted. "Except of course your forehead is much too large, you brood constantly, torture yourself" "I do not torture myself!" Spike gave him a 'don't deny it look' Angel didn't understand one bit. "Oh come on! Eating rats, loving a Slayer, sitting up here all on your lonesome in the sweltering heat." "Okay! It's too hot. I get it. I'll just turn down the thermostat." He turned around to walk over to it and Spike continued the conversation by yelling at his back. "All that, and all you care about is the thermostat? I mean, knew you were a blockhead but really."

Angel frowned while pushing the little button with the down arrow to change the saved temperature to sixty. Why did he start this conversation again? Oh, right. It was supposed to go 'Nothing's wrong with me, but Wes is worried about a nest about three miles from here. Want to help?' Now he didn't feel like asking Spike for anything. Cordy and Wes would just have to get over the fact he was getting more aggressive in fights. It was a good thing after all. Made the chances of them being attacked go down at least. He felt exhausted. Wasn't sleep what he came up here for in the first place?

Ignoring Spike, he took his coat off and hung it in the closet. Then pulling his shoes off, and placing them neatly next to the bed, he pulled the sheet over himself and went to sleep. Spike plopped onto the other side and watched Angel resentfully. That was one of the biggest displays of poofiness he had ever seen. Out of spite, he got up and picked up the shoes. Flinging them to opposite sides of the room, he quickly looked back to check if the clunking had woken Angel up. Either Angel was ignoring him or he was still asleep. Either way Spike was disappointed. He was going to be bored out of his mind without being able to bug Angel.

He couldn't even go out to catch a meal. His skin lightly tingled, warning him it was bright and sunny out. He turned and flopped onto the bed, swinging his legs around until he couldn't take it anymore. He thought about dressing, but then remembered it had taken him ten minutes last time. He had never even managed to zip up his jeans. He jumped back up and began to practice fighting. He wasn't hitting anything other then air but at least it stretched the muscles a bit. He heard the door opening behind him and smirked. He had someone to annoy again. Turning around he found himself facing Darla.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 6: Reclaiming**_

"Darla!" She shot him an irritated look and Spike snarled. "Be quiet!" She hissed not the least bit intimidated. Spike felt his blood boil. The bloody bitch! Just dumps him here for an angry Angel to find, and now she's ordering him to shut up? "Just listen." Darla whispered walking over to him. "Angelus is going to wake up compliant and happy to see me. I've done this before. You stay in the bathroom, count to 300 and then come out. Just follow my lead and don't be obnoxious!"

She had gone around the bend. She was going to get murdered. Spike watched enthralled as Darla walked over to the bed. She was hovering above Angel before she caught sight of Spike and made an angry shooing motion. He complied and made it to the doorway then stood in place to watch. He wasn't going to miss this. It would be nice to see Angel mad at somebody else than him for a change.

Darla had at that point stopped paying attention to Spike, and leaned over to sweetly kiss her boy. Spike's eyes widened as Angel's eyes flashed open, grabbed Darla around the waist, and pulled her on top of him. He began to aggressively kiss her and Spike felt a jolt rush through him. Maybe Darla's plan, whatever it was, might actually work. He slipped the rest of the way into the toilet and carefully pulled the door shut. He was beginning to really wish he hadn't ignored his pants earlier. Being naked to annoy Angel was one thing, being stuck with not a shred of cloth on him was another. Why didn't Angel have any bleedin' clothes in here?

Grabbing the bar of soap from the edge of the sink, he brought it up to the mirror and pressed down. A few squeaks here and there, but nothing really loud. Hopefully all the moaning was drowning out any of the soap's noise. Keeping it in his good hand, he concentrated very hard not to drop it. It was actually harder than he anticipated. The letters were pretty clear but his little doodle was barely recognizable. Finished, he let the soap plop into it's holder and then he swung the door open. He had no idea if had been 5 minutes yet, probably not, but he didn't care.

Striding out, he realized the sounds had abruptly stopped, and Angel had his head turned around to stare at him. Actually not all the noise, Darla could still be heard breathing heavily. She was flat on her back, Angel braced over her, and his cock rammed up into her. Spike was a bit disappointed. Angel was supposed to be angry at Darla. Must hate her if he staked her. Apparently not. It really shouldn't have been funny, but he couldn't help it. He doubled over and couldn't seem to stop his laughter. Angel just looked so, so, funny! Fully in demon face, his fangs were dripping with Darla's blood, but his entire expression was of one horribly puzzled.

"William. What are you doing here?" The question was from Darla and Spike was able to control himself as he recognized the warning in her tone. What had she said? Play along? Maybe he was supposed to act as if they had never been separated. Maybe like it was 1899. She was very confusing. "Uh, I just got back and a minion sent me up. Said you wanted to see me?" This was ridiculous. He clearly had just stepped out of the loo, and Darla seemed a bit irritated at his reply. Well, really. Like he was supposed to know what to do.

Angel didn't look any less confused, but pulled out of Darla eliciting a whimper from the woman. "Why are you here?" This wasn't fair. Darla wasn't helping him at all. "Um, same reason she's here." Angel looked back and forth between the woman on his bed and the vampire standing in front of him and frowned. "But, why would I dream you up with that peroxide hair and splint?"

Darla was growing agitated. She knew this might be risky, but she didn't know she would get this nervous. Would Angel believe he really dreamed up William? Spike was struggling to maintain his expression. Angel thought this was all a dream? This was bloody fantastic. He could do anything and Angel would think it was all in his imagination. Ideas raced around in his mind, all to come to a crashing halt as he watched Darla crawl into his lap, and he held her. There would be plenty of times to agitate him. This was a chance to make sure Angel didn't think of him as just an annoyance. The only problem was, all Spike was to Angel was an annoyance.

Maybe that was it. He just wouldn't be Spike. Ignoring his pride, he dropped to his knees and looked up. He picked a random spot on the wall and let his mind go.

_"Stern daughter of the Voice of God! _  
_O Duty! if that name thou love _  
_Who art a light to guide, a rod _  
_To check the erring, and reprove; _  
_Thou, who art victory and law _  
_When empty terrors overawe; _  
_From vain temptations dost set free; _  
_And clam'st the weary strife of frail humanity!"_

He could feel Angel's wide eyes on him, but worked hard to maintain a glazed over expression. He itched to move as Angel stood up and approached him. Spike had to gather all his self control to keep his eyes trained on the wall as Angel hovered over him. "William?" Thank God! That wall was bloody boring. Swinging his eyes up to look at Angel he tried to keep a dazed expression. "Sire?"

There was a very pregnant pause as Angel stared silently at the vampire kneeling at his feet. Then without warning, Angel drooped to his knees, took Spike's face in his hands and kissed him. Letting him go, he shoved Spike's right shoulder. Spike complied, falling down on the carpet and hooking his legs around Angel.

Angel braced himself above the blonde, putting a hand on either side of Spike's head as he continued to take part in a very active kiss. Spike was careful to participate, but also maintain a sense of not knowing what to do. He let Angel's tongue dominate his own, and closed his eyes to enjoy the sensations. He felt Angel's lips leave his own and let out a disappointed moan, which turned into a gasp as he felt a cold finger pressing against his entrance. Leaning on his left forearm, Angel smirked as he inserted a right digit into Spike's hole. The boy was squirming under him and Angel couldn't help the power rush surging through him. Inserting another, he watched his boy moan and rock, ignoring his own straining member. He'd deal with that in a few moments. In a moment of bravery, Spike took a risk and brought his hand down to try and help bring himself off. Angel smirked and let him, simply pumping his fingers in and out until Spike finally came in his own hand. Spike lay on the floor with his eyes closed basking in the feeling.

He was so content he hardly even cared when he sensed Angel getting up to crawl back up onto the bed where Darla had been watching. Without hesitation he pushed himself back into Darla, finishing what they had been busy doing before Spike had interrupted. Darla shrieked with pleasure as she climaxed, followed by grunts from a vampire who was being uncharacteristically silent. Darla wasn't sure if it was a good or bad sign that he was so quiet today. He rolled over onto his back to lay next to Darla, and propped himself up on his elbows. He stared at Spike, who was staring at the ceiling doing some personal reflecting of his own. "William." Angel said in a normal tone and Spike was drawn out of his thoughts. Understanding the message, he gladly took up the invitation and pulled himself up off the floor to crawl into bed.

Angel pulled Darla into his right side and Spike laid on Angel's left, curling himself up so his face was buried in Angel's neck. The strange threesome laid still for a while until Spike felt a finger come and poke his side. Removing his face from Angel's neck he stared past Angel's stomach at Darla who was propped up on her elbow. "Go shower." she whispered, slipping out of Angel's grip. Spike watched from his spot on the bed as she began to gather up and put on her clothes, putting everything together. He was to pretend that the events that had just transpired had never happened. Angel was to wake up thinking he had dreamed everything. He slid out of bed too, and as Darla made her way out of the room, Spike made his way to the toilet to shower.

Angel woke up to the sound of running water and memories of another vivid dream. He dreamed of Darla because he was in want of guidance and comfort, but why was Spike there? No, not Spike. It had been William reciting poetry and curling up next to him to sleep. But if it was William, why did he look like Spike? What was his mind trying to tell him? That William was still a part of Spike? Did he want Spike to act like William again? Yes. He wanted those he knew so well to be around him. He wanted his sire who had been a constant presence for over half his life back.

He watched Spike swing the door open with a towel around his waist and wondered if he'd ever see Spike run to him for help when he needed it. He remembered Will constantly running into his room bloodied and with panicked explanations as to why there were mobs storming whatever house they were in. If Spike was being chased would he still look to him for help, or were they too far estranged? He hadn't looked to him for help when he got that chip. He hadn't asked for help in tracking down Drusilla. Did Spike assume he was never going to help him?

"Hey, you haven't heard from Penn recently have you?" Spike was struggling into his jeans with little success, and didn't even bother to give Angel a cursory glance. "No." Was that even a lie? Spike wasn't sure. Technically it was Penn but now he was Jinx. Ugh, this was not working. These jeans were impossible to fasten one-handed!

Angel stared at Spike as he struggled and sighed. Getting up, he stood behind Spike and reached his arm around to zip up the boy's pants. If he wasn't going to come to him for help about the large things, he could at least help with the small things. He could feel Spike tense up a bit under him, but at least he hadn't pushed him away. Spike stayed still, rather uneasy about why Angel wasn't moving away. Angel fought with himself wondering if this was the perfect time to reconnect. He wasn't sure if Spike had lied to him about Penn or not, but he really wanted to. He had already decided he needed to reconnect with his childe before he left for Sunnydale again, and who knew how long that was supposed to be.

Leaning down, he gently kissed Spike's neck. Oh god no. Angel knew he was awake right? Spike was so confused and had no idea what to do. "Angel!" A scream from downstairs had Angel rushing out the door, leaving Spike to slouch against the wall wishing his life wasn't so bloody complicated. He was really getting hungry. From the sound of that plea for help Angel wouldn't be back anytime soon either. Not only that, but the sun was setting, so out the door Spike went, watching as the little group left the lobby fully equipped with swords and axes. He gave them a five minute start before padding down the stairs and heading out to dinner. God, it felt good to be on the hunt again.

Spike was happily playing with his food, using the woman as a punching bag since his belly was already full of her little friend's blood. Each smack was liberating, reenforcing the fact he no longer had a chip in his brain. The woman's jaw had been dislocated already and she was fading fast. He managed a few more kicks before her heartbeat began to slow, signaling if he wanted any more food he needed to eat now. Bending down, he pierced her neck and drew out quite a bit before tossing her into the dumpster. Walking down the alley, he finally felt like his bad ass self again. As long as he blocked out the fact he had a bald spot, he was feeling on top of the world.

Back in the hotel room, he roamed the halls finding out where he wanted to stay. Bugging Angel was super, but tonight he was probably safer hiding out. If Angel was sharp he might realize there was something different about Spike's healthier glow or catch a whiff of human blood. Grabbing a room that seemed a fair distance away from where anyone normally trekked, he pulled dusty blankets out of a hall closet and snuggled up on the mattress.

Angel walked back in, groaning at the thought of who was waiting for him. He had been out all night slaying. He wanted to collapse and not have to deal with anything. Except the occasional nights where he had been on the run, being a hero was much more exhausting then being evil. Making his way upstairs, he stood in the doorway stupidly. The room was devoid of anybody. Looking into the bathroom, he saw no one, and was about to walk out when he saw the mirror. Frowning, he realized he had nothing to clean it with, so he threw his fist and smashed it. It wasn't a useful object any ways.

He turned on the sink and washed his hand off, not bothering to do anything about the glass all over the bathroom. Where the hell was Spike? Looking out at his bed he debated whether or not he should wait up for him or just go to sleep. He was sound asleep in the next five minutes.

Waking up, he turned around expecting Spike to be next to him, drunk and snoring. There was no one and Angel felt a weight settle in his stomach. Spike should have been back ages ago. Did he get stuck in the city and not have time to get back before the sun rose? Practically running down the stairs he spotted Wesley and went over. "Have you seen Spike?" Wesley stared at him warily shaking his head. "To be honest Angel, I see no reason why he needs to be here. I don't think his presence is very good for you, and he has never bothered to help us fight during his stay." This was true. He could have asked Spike to help fight multiple times but for some reason never seemed to remember to.

He decided to ignore Wesley's comment, mostly because he didn't want to think about it. Logically there really was only one reason Spike should stay. He knew it would better for everyone if he got close enough to Spike to be able to tell if he was lying or not, but he wasn't quite certain if Wesley would be able to see that. As for Spike having a bad effect on him, Spike had a bad effect on anyone he was near. Especially once he started to invade dreams. While slaying last night, Angel had been having flashbacks to the strange boy with glasses Dru had been insane enough to praise.

That same strange boy who was currently missing, only now with a new nickname. "Angel, there were two bodies found this morning." Uh oh. Angel was suddenly all business and walked over to stare at the monitor as Wesley brought up the online newspaper. It was rather odd. While one corpse hardly looked to be harmed at all, the other was mutilated beyond recognition. Due to the fact they were both found murdered in a dumpster, one would assume their deaths were results of the same attacker, but the attacks seemed so different. Wesley eventually enlarged the photo so they could see the fang marks on the necks and Angel tried to connect the dots.

"Wesley, I think it might have been a master and a childe." Wesley blinked from behind his glasses and then frowned. "But if it was, why would the sire let the childe be so, viscous." Angel sighed and slumped in an armchair. He didn't really enjoy discussing these things with Wesley. "Just, trust me. Sometimes sires purposefully have their childer be extraordinarily viscous, just to see what they can do." If Angel was right, it would be extraordinary. Angel hadn't seen what he would consider a proper vampiric family in decades. Everyone seemed to be too bent on making their own name known to deal with forming a family where you would have to bend down to others at times.

Cordelia walked in later that afternoon to a sight that quickly dampened her mood. "Research?" She moaned as she took in Wesley typing furiously on his computer and Angel flipping through stacks of paper. She got a grunt in response and flopped down next to Angel pulling a thick book onto her lap. "Okay, what are we looking for here?" The two men looked up to glance at her and Angel shook his head. "We're looking for clues to see if a prominent vampiric family has settled down around here." Cordelia raised an eyebrow and got up to put the book back on the highly disorganized bookcase.

"Well what are we doing here then? Shouldn't you be out interrogating demons?" "Once the sun sets." Angel replied. Cordelia huffed and settled down, pulling out a nail file aware their research was a rather large waste of time. Men just couldn't stand to sit around and do nothing. Luckily, she only had to wait an hour before the sky finally became devoid of a sun. Taking his papers away, she practically shoved the vampire out the door shouting good luck before swinging it shut.

Angel prowled the demon bars making discrete inquiries that were piling up to nothing. Either this family's connections ran deep, or they never stepped out of the house. Maybe it was a new vampire and their childe without much of a family or reputation yet. After multiple dead ends, he was forced to give up and return to the hotel with nothing to report. He had accidentally killed one demon during interrogation, but he hardly felt that fact needed to be shared. After Wesley and Cordelia slunked off back to their own apartments, Angel walked up rather disappointed with himself. He woke up in silence, and automatically turned around expecting Spike to be around, but once again he was absent. This was getting worrying. Had he already left to go back to Sunnydale?

He thought about taking a shower but then remembered the bathroom was full of glass and scowled. He left in search of another shower when he began to pick up the scent of blood. Picking up his pace, he began to jog through the halls towards the door that was emitting the smell. Maybe he should go back downstairs and get a weapon of some sort. But then again, whoever was in there could be barely hanging onto their lives, and every second he wasted out here was torture for them. Breaking the door open, he blinked and dropped the towel he had been carrying.

Spike was sprawled out on the bed fully clothed and sound asleep. Sniffing the air, there was no mistaking the coppery tang and he moved closer. The leather duster had dried blood stains on it, and Angel was willing to bet it was human. Spike was killing again. His hand shot down to press Spike's neck against the bed, and Spike's eyes flew open. Going into his vampiric visage, Angel swooped down and bit deep and hard. Spike thrashed and clawed but Angel would not be deterred. He gulped almost an entire pint leaving Spike pale and close to fainting. He then stood up and tore off his shirt. He made a short cut against his chest and lifted Spike up by the armpits, so Spike was pulled against his chest.

Moving a hand to the back of Spike's head, he pushed Spike's mouth towards the gash. Spike refused to open his lips. A kick to the shin got him to open his mouth in surprise, letting Angel force his open mouth around the blood. "Drink!" It was a harsh command, and because of this Spike knew he couldn't let himself. If it wasn't for Angel's arm under his armpit Spike knew he would be a heap on the floor. He had no way to fight back, but he would be damned before he swallowed. Angel could keep him here all day, he wasn't swallowing a drop. The blood was welling into his mouth, but Spike pretended it was like mouthwash. It could fill his whole mouth but he wouldn't swallow. The inner demon howled for the sire blood and Spike could practically feel his muscles screaming out to swallow. His mind was fading and a little spark of thought rang out with a shrill plea for it stay alert.

Angel stood stoically as he watched Spike's eyes droop and expressions of resistance cross his face. Spike's mind eventually gave way to the darkness, however and his demonic instincts took over swallowing the blood with relish. Angel felt Spike's feelings enter his mind and gave an evil grin. Picking up the unconscious vampire, he plopped him on the bed and made sure his chest wound was closed. He had already made sure Spike's neck wound was closed before he had hauled him up to drink sire blood. "You're mine boy." He whispered with relish before going off to shower. He didn't think he'd be going out to fight demons tonight. He had one sleeping only a few feet away already.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 7: Where's the Soul?**_

Spike woke up with a dreadful feeling. Angel had found him and he once again was powerless. Looking to his side, he groaned and instantly regretted it. Maybe if he was really quiet, he could sneak out before the pillock woke up. A hand clamped down on his wrist and Spike wished he was anywhere else. He timidly looked at Angel who was glaring at him hatefully. "How did you get the chip out?"

"The doctor in Sunnydale. I went back after the fight with Buffy." It was a pretty believable lie right? Angel smirked and got onto his knees, shifting himself so he was now straddling Spike. "We both know that's a lie." Spike felt his panic rise as reality continued to set in. The hand was around his neck again and Spike stared at the vampire on top of him in fear. What the hell was he supposed to do now!

Angel stared at his childe in puzzlement as tidal waves of fear rolled off of him and he knew he was missing something important. Why was Spike so afraid to tell him the truth? It wasn't a defiant face looking up at him, and Angel realized he needed to try a new tactic. With the blood exchange, Spike should be feeling ridiculously emotional and clingy right now. Rolling off of him, he pulled Spike into his chest. Spike buried his head into his sire's neck and had to hold back tears.

This wasn't fair. He shouldn't be expected to have to fight against the effects of a reclaiming. The logical side of his mind knew he should be furious at Angel for doing this to him. Instead he wriggled an arm underneath Angel and flopped the other one on top of him and held on. The bond had him craving Angel like crazy, and the urge to pour everything out to him was overwhelming. He wasn't stupid though. If he ever gave into that urge, Darla would probably find a way to have that Wolfram place kill him in a second.

"Spike, the only thing that can harm you right now is me." He felt Spike snort against his neck and scowled. If it wasn't him, then what was Spike scared of? "Will. The truth, now." The command struck something in Spike, making him even more hopeless about his situation. He had tried to forget about the 'sire voice.' Had he really felt this attached to Angelus a century ago? Spike realized he couldn't manage to force the lie out and was sure if he had a heartbeat it would be thundering. Angel reclaiming him had left him powerless to resist. Oh god, he was going to die. Maybe the lawyers would come up with something brilliantly heinous to kill him with. If he had to go out, at least it'd be in style. "Darla convinced some evil company's doctors to pry it out."

Angel stared at the top of Spike's head waiting for some sense of deception to emanate from him. The only vibe he was getting was the one of genuine truth and he remained motionless. His dreams had been real? Darla was in LA? Spike braced himself for the worst, but remained glued to the cold statue Angel was, still instinctively clinging to the creature his demon recognized as a protector.

Images of Darla flashed through his mind and Angel found he was horribly happy that she was alive. His dreams weren't portals to his unvoiced desires. They weren't psychological puzzles to figure out. They were simply his family trying to be with him. The repercussions of her being here were probably large and horrible, but he didn't think about that. His body was itching to go seek her out, if only just to reassure himself she wasn't dead. Looking down, he dropped a kiss on Spike's head and grinned as William's appearance in his latest dream flashed in his mind. "Poetry Spike?" The blonde looked up and rolled his eyes.

"You knew I reread them while I was stuck in that chair." Oh, indeed he had. Angelus had had quite a few jabs at his expense about it too, but Drusilla didn't mind poetry so Spike hadn't been terribly angry about it. "Is it all still from the 1800s?" Spike rose an eyebrow and smirked. "And ignore some poetry of Wordsworth's? Never." Angel chuckled, laughing even harder as Spike frowned in concentration and added "Coleridge too. Didn't find Brockley Coombe as relaxing as 'im, but that's probably 'cause Dru was yelling at a rock the entire night."

Angel wouldn't be surprised if Spike had a story for every single corner of England. Maybe he should write a book. That sent him into another fit of hysteria and Spike's fears about lawyers with stakes bursting in through the door were interrupted. Instead he stared at Angel, getting a bit nervous. Since when did Angel laugh this much? Eventually he calmed down and morphed his expression back to one of an interrogator. "So, where's Darla?" This was stupid. He really, really, shouldn't be doing this but he was getting so sick of this secrecy.

"She's with Penn. I can take you to them." Angel felt a shock run through his body and grinned. Darla and Penn were both in LA? Getting up, he dragged Spike behind him and out the door, telling Wesley they were going out to investigate some reputed nest once they reached the hall. Spike shook out of Angel's grip once outside and led him down into the sewers. Hopefully this was going to work. If Darla already knew he had told Angel, she could have made sure that apartment was empty, and then what would he do? He didn't want to take part in Darla's manipulating any longer. Clamoring up the stairs, he rushed up hoping they had gotten here fast enough. Angel ran up just behind Spike, but paused outside the apartment door. Were Penn and Darla really just on the other side? He was running on elation, and could hardly believe the events of the day.

Spike swung the door open and proceeded to slink in. Both vampires instantly turned towards the door but barely had a moment to register it was Spike before their senses were overloaded with something entirely different. Darla and Penn easily could have stared at the door all afternoon trying to process that Angel was standing outside, but they didn't get the chance. Angel walked in and made a bee line towards a shocked Penn. His mouth was open, and his eyes were wide as he stared at a vampire that by all accounts really shouldn't be anywhere near their apartment. Angel noticed this, but didn't care very much.

He embraced his boy tightly, kissing the top of his head before letting go. Spinning around, he looked at his sire and felt close to tears. Walking over, he gave her a big kiss on the mouth which seemed to slowly drag her back into reality. It felt a bit strange as she was human, but still it was very good. "What?" Darla began, but Angel didn't give her a chance to finish. "I missed you." He said genuinely, turning around to include Spike and Penn.

Darla backed away, as if she couldn't understand what was going on, but Penn and Spike had no such reservations. Running at him, they tackled him to the floor and laid on top of him, fulfilling their cravings for closeness. Angel could feel the happiness radiating from Spike, and much to his surprise caught a whiff of Penn's joy too. Staring at him, Angel drew Penn up to him and kissed him full on the mouth, turning it into a pretty passionate kiss. Then using a fang, he pierced Penn's tongue and sucked. Penn's eyes were wide again, but he didn't protest. Angel drank a little before pricking his own finger and holding it up. Penn drew his head away and latched onto the finger without any resistance. What had changed Penn's demeanor towards him so completely?

With an arm around each vampire, Angel stared up at Darla questionably. "I, um, nice to see you." she said in a sweet voice that was obviously forced. The three men all looked at her and the airy mood was turned into one of concern. Angel gently pushed Penn and Spike off of him, and got up, walking over to Darla. She was nervous. The polite thing might have been to leave Darla and Angel alone, but Spike and Penn made themselves quite comfortable on the couch, looking on in fascination. Neither could think of the last time they had seen Darla nervous. "You too. Granted I wasn't quite expecting to see you in the living flesh.." Angel let the question hang in the air between them and Darla gulped. "Do you, do you, h..hate me?" The woman looked close to tears and Angel frowned. "Sit on the couch. I think it's story time."

Darla acquiesced and sat down next to Penn, while Angel took the armchair across from the other three. Spike instinctively found himself getting up and climbing into Angel's lap, and while not thrilled by this, Spike didn't feel too strange about it. The other two sort of stared at him for a few minutes until Darla understood and quickly starting looking for an exit. Penn confusedly grabbed her arm keeping her next to him, knowing somehow Darla running off would just make things worse. Darla began shouting profanities at Penn trying to break free, and Penn turned anxiously to Angel for help. Sure his vampire strength was more than enough to keep her from running, but she was digging her nails into his arm now and it wasn't pleasant.

"Darla! Sit, I'm not going to kill you." Her shrill voice quieted, and she slowly sat back down shaking her arm irritably when Penn didn't let go. "Now, you've been working with Wolfram and Hart. Why? How did you come back?" Penn stared at Spike disbelievingly, wondering what he was thinking telling Angel about the law firm. Then he saw the fresh fang marks on his neck and caught on to what Darla had two minutes earlier. Oh. That's why Angel was holding him in his lap. Fiddling with her fingers, Darla commanded everyone's attention as she explained the box she awoke in, the firm's plans for her, and how she had convinced Lindsey and Lilah to order brain surgery for Spike.

They all remained silent as Angel looked out into space after Darla finished, mulling it over. "Don't tell them I came." He finally said looking at Penn and Darla. "Act as if nothing has changed. Spike will continue staying in the hotel and you will continue coming to me in my sleep. Hopefully Lindsey and Lilah wont suspect a thing." They all nodded and Angel got up to leave, Spike falling in behind him. "Oh, and bring Penn today." He added before exiting with Spike.

Sunset was still a few hours away as they made their way back to the Hyperion via the sewers. They were about halfway there, when without warning Angel turned and pressed Spike against the wall. "Oi!" He yelled, feeling the slimy wall press against his duster. "You are my childe, and from this moment on you are not to ever feed off of humans. Understand?" He growled pressing his hands tighter against Spike's wrists. Spike nodded bewildered, wishing his sire wasn't always so intense. It was completely unfair Angel could sense his thoughts now. So what if he had been having one little livid fantasy about tearing into some chit's neck? He was a vampire after all. Angel should just be glad he hadn't been thinking about tearing into Cordelia.

Glowering, Spike pushed Angel away and stormed off. Angel was right behind him, but Spike tried to block that out. He was not going to drink pig blood. He might not be able to get it warm, but he was determined to keep drinking human blood. The two made their way back to Angel's hotel room without talking, each involved in their own thoughts.

Angel didn't know what to do. Was he happy Darla was human or not? She had been handed a second chance to live, but Angel knew she hated it. As a human he could love her unconditionally, not having to worry that she would hurt anything, but in only a few decades she would become old and die. Sinking onto his bed, he felt Spike join him, and had to deal with a bigger paradox. He killed demons, yet he had three childer who could be particularly vicious and deadly. No matter who they killed, in the end he knew the nature of his demon would place his childers' importance above all others.

Sighing, he threw a pillow over his face and faded out. He was only awoken when he heard Spike mewling in his sleep. He grimaced at the noise, knowing it was from a want to go hunting. Spike's demon always made the strangest noises while he slept when it was restless. Spike never seemed aware of it, but everyone else was. When William was first made, his noises remained an absolute mystery until finally Drusilla caught on to the pattern. Angelus had been able to quickly decipher her discovery, and from then on they always had someone spar with Will the next day.

He lay still listening for the door to open, but all was silent. Should he reclaim Penn too? Possibly, but he doubted he could handle it. Dealing with two freshly connected childer seemed as if it would be exhausting. Still, Penn was utterly perplexing at the moment, and not being able to understand him was driving him insane.

Rolling around, he waited impatiently. Finally, he heard the door open and jumped up. Penn stared at him, before walking around and sitting on the floor on the opposite side of the bed. Penn poked Spike in the side and his eyes flashed open, quickly smiling as he saw Penn. He rolled off of the side of the bed and took a seat across from him, the bed hiding them from view of the other two. Angel felt the urge to reconnect grow stronger as yet again Penn threw him for a loop. He heard crinkling paper and a pen and frowned. What were they doing?

His attention diverted to Darla, who he had just noticed didn't look so well. She had bags under her eyes and she looked unfocused. She must have stayed up all last night and this morning fretting over him knowing that she was real and human. Giving a cursory glance towards Penn and Spike, he saw the tops of their heads behind the bed and took Darla's hand. He led the two of them towards another room and made Darla stand directly in front of him. "Darla I'm not looking for revenge. Just because you kicked me out once I got a soul, doesn't mean I'm going to kill you because you got a heartbeat." She stared up at him and took his hand, interlocking their fingers. She focused on their hands and whispered quietly. "I've regretted that so many times. My last century was so empty without you."

"You left Will, Drusilla, and Penn." He accused. "William and Drusilla left me!" She snapped angrily. "Penn took off soon after I told them you had left, saying if you didn't need family neither did he. He always looked up to you and followed your example. Drusilla wouldn't shut up for weeks. It was constant crying and screeching in the house. William began spending all his time trying to make her happy and trying to replace you. I was left all alone! They didn't need me, so I went to my sire, because at least he cared enough to pay attention to me!" Angel blinked taken aback and then narrowed his eyes. "You lied. In China, you said Penn was with Luke." Angel didn't really care much for Darla's 'brother' but at least he was family.

She half sobbed and half laughed. "Oh what a surprise. I lied." Angel quickly tried to hide his hurt and took a step back. "But it was to me." She didn't respond but wandered over to the bed and sat with her back turned towards him. Angel waited for a while, but her only movement was the steady pattern of breathing. He exited the room silently and left Darla to reflect silently. He had a suspicion she was also grieving her sire, and therefore he was very hesitant to interrupt her thoughts. When he re-entered his bedroom, Penn gave him a cheery wave before walking past him, presumably to go back to the apartment.

Spike's hand was tapping against his leg, obviously making some effort to contain himself. "Want to spar?" Spike asked quickly and Angel nodded. The blonde would go barmy if he was stuck sitting around. The two walked down to the empty ground floor, and Angel opened the weapons cabinet grabbing two swords from his collection. Tossing one to Spike, the two practiced some rusty dueling skills, trying to forget all about their emotional confusion.

They eventually stopped and Spike without thinking glided over to Angel's side. Glancing at him, Angel kissed the top of his head before putting the swords back. Wesley and Cordelia showed up at that point and they both stayed still staring at Spike warily. Angel saw this, and hoping to avoid any arguments took his normal seat and motioned Spike to pull up a chair next to his. Wesley wiped his glasses off, much like Giles did, and shook his head. "Yes, well. According to a phone call Cordelia got early this morning, tonight we must exorcize a demon. I've been looking into the matter and believe we need the Book of Gyhllid, earwax candles, and many herbs."

"Oh great. More fun nights of air smelling like everything that should never be put into a perfume." The comment easily dispelled the tension in the room and Angel felt a wave of gratitude towards Cordelia. With the sun going down, the four trooped out to visit a very well known place to all but Spike. There were jars of everything imaginable. Spike instantly disappeared into the depths of the store, looking around in fascination. In addition to all the normal things like a cow's brain, there were lizard lungs, enchanted needles, and a cellphone shaped gadget that picked up on if there was a demon in the room.

Angel had to almost drag him out once Wesley had bought the candles and herbs. Spike just missed the demon life so much. He didn't want to go back to the bloody hotel. Luckily for him, they didn't. Spike sat in the car next to Cordelia as Angel drove them all to a house Wesley was directing them to, using printed out google map directions. "No wait! I can read the sign now, it starts with an O. This street Angel! Turn! Turn!" The passengers all grabbed onto their seats as Angel made a last minute swerve to turn the car onto the street. "You need super vision to read those little signs in time." Cordelia mumbled readjusting herself.

Stopping in front of the normal two story house, they piled out of the car each carrying either herbs, candles, a book, or an axe. Spike had gotten stuck with the candles, and Cordelia demanded the axe for herself, leaving Angel with the herbs as there was no way Wesley was giving up his book. Storming in, Angel and Spike's uninvited entrance proved the owner of the house was being possessed by a demon. The door had proved to be unlocked, and simply hung open behind them. They stared at a woman inside, who at their intrusion, simply turned around with blank eyes. "You came. Too late."

"Okay, That's not strange." Cordelia muttered as the woman stared stoically at them. A red ball of energy shot out of the hallway and Cordelia screamed swinging her axe around trying vainly to kill it. "Burn the thyme!" Wesley shouted. Spike pulled his lighter out of his duster and lit the candle as Angel rushed over and dumped his pouch of thyme onto the flame. "Prima duce diem video. Now the borage!" Angel dumped the next packet on and the smell permeated the house. "Omnum malum exspellit." The red ball of energy was now flickering and zigzaging in a drunken manner, much more reassuring then having it fly at you as if on the attack. "Mox ille mordem est." In a last attempt to save itself, it shot quickly towards Angel and he yelped as it entered through his ear. "Angel!" Cordelia yelled hysterically. "Cordelia! Burn the Khella!" Dropping the ax, she pried the pouch from Angel's hands, dumping it onto the quickly melting candle. The herb created a blue smoke and Wesley, Cordelia, and the silent woman all began to cough violently.

Spike stared at Angel who was now on the floor, his fingers gripping the carpet fibers. The blue smoke shot through his nostrils and Angel screamed before falling still. Spike crawled over and tried to wake him, but no response. The air began clearing and Cordelia and Wesley came over as well calling out their friend's name. All of them were so focused on the fallen vampire, that they all remained oblivious as the woman walked out of her own home looking as expressionless as before.

Spike eventually lifted him off the ground, and Wesley followed opening the car door for him as Spike slid him into the back seat. He then slid into one of the backseats and placed his sire's head on his lap. Spike dug in Angel's pocket grabbing the keys and handed them off to Cordelia. Wesley climbed into the front seat and the four drove home, Wesley occasionally telling Cordelia directions on how to get back to the hotel. Internally however, all three were panicked and emotionally unstable at the thought that Angel might be hurt.

"At least we know he's not dead right?" Cordelia asked as they looked down at the unmoving vampire who had been laid down onto the couch. "It's been 48 hours." Wesley reminded her, making sure the weight of what had happened was not lost. Cordelia took a deep breath and then looked around for something to distract her from their problems. "What do you think happened to Spike?"

He had disappeared as soon as they had gotten back two nights ago. For the second day now, it was a few hours to sunrise and he had yet to return. "Went off to a bar and is currently getting drunk." Wesley suggested cynically. The door swung open and the two turned around taken by surprise. "Oh dear God." Wesley quickly scrambled towards the weapons cabinet fumbling to grasp and load the crossbow. In the doorway stood Spike accompanied by a somewhat petite blonde woman.

"State your race!" Wesley demanded, not fooled by the human visage. "Vampire." She said dismissively. "And if you ever want Angel back, one you will be smart not to kill." She began walking forwards and Cordelia quickly backed away, making her way towards the cabinet as well, hoping to acquire a stake or a cross at the very least. They watched wearily as she made a cut across her wrist and brought a hand out to guide Angel's head. At first nothing happened, but eventually Angel twitched and they watched the motion of his throat swallowing the blood. Angel's eyes flashed open and he bit the wrist in surprise. Darla yelped and snatched her arm back, glaring at him. "You were human." Angel accused and Wesley's and Cordelia's eyes widened. 'Human?' Wesley mouthed to no one in particular. Did that mean Spike had sired someone?

Growling, he pushed Darla away and stood up. "What the hell is going on?" he snarled surprising everyone in the room. "We haven't quite figured that out. We've been buried in the books trying to find anything on the red ball of energy but so far it's been quite elusive." Angel's head whipped to the side to face Wesley and smirked. "Oh, I think I have a vague idea. William! Tie them up." Everyone blinked and stared at him, but Spike soon found himself grabbing rope from the supply they kept under the desk, not quite voluntarily.

As Cordelia and Wesley eyed the rope, they seemed to understand. Something horrible had happened to Angel, and Spike was not going to take their side. Without hesitation, Cordelia ran towards Spike with a stake. Wesley had turned around to point the crossbow at Angel, but found he had been too slow. Angel was already lurking behind him, and tore the crossbow out of the Watcher's hands and threw it across the room. Spike in the meantime was ducking under Cordelia's attacks. Darla quietly snuck up behind her and grabbed her neck, forcing Cordelia to gasp for air.

"Drop it girl." She hissed and Cordelia watched in horror as her stake clamored onto the ground. "Rope." Angel ordered and Spike threw him half of it. He proceeded to tie up Wesley's wrists and then dragged him over to the wall, fastening the rope to a pillar. Spike followed his example and Cordelia found herself on the opposite side of the pillar terrified out of her mind. "Not that I'm complain' but what's gotten into you?" Spike asked unable to fathom what was going on. "Shut up boy." Spike's eyes narrowed and he made to punch the bastard, but Angel caught the fist, punched Spike so his head shot back , and then kicked him to kingdom come. He flew through the room, crashing into the wall and cracking the plaster.

"Angelus what are you doing?" Darla demanded, unable to fathom why he was treating Spike this way. He ignored her question. "How did you become a vampire again? Did you let some scum sire you?" He was angry. Darla grit her teeth and slapped him. "Don't use that tone with me. It was a spell if you must know. William helped me break into Wolfram and Hart and we found the spell to bring me back as a vampire." He narrowed his eyes and spit. "Magick." He said hatefully, trying to rid himself of the taste. "What is wrong with you?" She gritted out as she watched Spike moving to get up out of the corner of her eye. Once again he ignored her question and Darla felt sharp irritation.

"Darla love, I'll meet you back at the...apartment. Just, give me a few moments alone with Will hm?" She really didn't want to leave, but she realized something was wrong with him that she wanted no part of. "You have an hour Angelus." She said sternly and he nodded solemnly and watched her leave.

He forgot about the humans temporarily and turned to face his childe. Angelus ran over to the blonde, and Spike stared wide eyed as Angelus punched him once again, throwing him back onto the floor. Angelus kicked his chest so a rib cracked, and then squatted down and yanked on Spike's hair. "Upstairs now." "You fuckin' mick." Spike gritted out, but Angelus just pulled harder as he dragged him upstairs to the bedroom.

He threw Spike onto the bed and then turned around throwing all of Angel's clothes out of the dresser drawer and onto the floor. Buried at the very bottom were the chains. Crawling on top of Spike, he tied up his wrists and chained Spike to the bedpost. "Your body is mine." He growled and Spike looked wildly at him. "That red thing stole souls didn't it?" Spike asked finally understanding what must have happened. In response, Angelus sneered and Spike gulped.

"You let that fuckin' Angel claim you. He doesn't get you, you're mine!" He roared and slapped Spike's face to the side. His skin cracked with the impact and blood ran down his cheek. "It's disgusting. I was there boy. I saw you snuggling up to the souled sod. Letting him finger fuck you." Angelus ripped the other's jeans apart and smirked staring at Spike's privates. He pushed Spike's legs up, forcing them to wrap around his waist as Spike tried to keep the silent tears rolling down his cheeks from being noticed. Angelus brought a hand up and grabbed Spike's head, forcing them to make eye contact. "Say it." He ordered and Spike hated himself for complying. "I'm yours." Angelus grunted in reply and unzipped his pants.

"If ya eva' let someone else touch yeer hole again, you'll be living in eternal pain. Understand?" Spike nodded quickly as Angelus forced himself in ruthlessly and Spike shrieked out in agony. This was so much worse then last time. Angelus rammed into him hard and Spike's arms strained with pain, his head repeatedly hitting the headboard violently in tandem with Angelus' thrusts. It wasn't stopping either. Spike had a moment of hope after a few minutes when Angelus cummed, but he wasn't done. In hardly no time at all Spike found himself once again slamming into the headboard. It was a miracle when Angelus finally pulled out and zipped himself up.

Spike felt as if he was on the brink of passing out from pain and he was scared to death of the pain he would feel if he tried to move. Looking down, he grinned at Spike and got off the bed cheerfully. "I'll be back in a bit. Until then, you better think of a damned good way to get back into my good graces." Spike watched as his sire walked out and didn't know whether to panic or be relieved. He was alone now, which was supposedly a good thing, but on the not so bright side he was chained to a bed in desperate want of blood. What the hell was he supposed to do now? 


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 8: Search for Dru**_

Darla looked up angrily as the door rattled open. Angelus had a lot of explaining to do. She watched as he swaggered in waiting for William to follow and see what condition he was in. He didn't appear. "Where's William?" She asked a bit panicked. According to Penn, William had told him Angelus had been a bit insane last time he appeared. She was beginning to fear William had been right. Angelus was extraordinarily angry for reasons that were beyond her. "Why? Am I not good enough for you anymore?" Darla reeled back as if she had been stung and stared at him, mouth wide open.

Angelus was still glaring. "Was Angel a better fuck? Was he a better sire?" He was on the point of raving and Darla stood up, a harsh frown on her face. "Come here." She commanded and Angelus sent her a look of pure hatred. She could see he didn't want to do anything she said, but he had fed from her a little more than an hour ago.

Against his will, he stomped over and stared down at her. Using all the speed she could, she flung upwards and latched onto his neck, keeping herself upright by her very balanced tiptoes. Angelus was able to push her off, but she had gotten what she needed. A wave of feeling passed through her full of pain and loss that she knew was her childe's.

She wrapped her arms around him tightly and didn't move as Angelus remained tense under her embrace. "Dear boy." She whispered and she felt Angelus choke back a sob. Leading him to the couch, he sat down and Darla placed herself in his lap, running a hand through his short cut. She leaned forward and gave him a long slow kiss, caressing every region of his mouth. This seemed to calm him, so Darla chanced conversation. "I turned you. I wanted you. How could you ever think I wanted anyone else? Even before I was staked, my top priority has always been to get you back."

His eyes narrowed and Darla felt his grip around her waist tighten. "That's nice Darla. But you'd think if you really liked me so much, when I finally broke free you'd do something more than back away and stare at me like I was a sideshow freak. You can't fool me. You cuddled with him. You fucked him. You risked your life to sneak into his room and be with HIM." Darla didn't know what to say. How could he possibly believe she wanted him souled? "Even my own childer! Kissing him, sharing blood with him.." This was going to spiral out of control and quickly.

"Do you think I'm stupid!" Darla interrupted so unexpectedly, Angelus actually shut up to stare at her. "I saw my childe in that body. You are not separate beings! You both have the same memories, the same instincts. If you and Angel were really separate do you think he would have let William and Penn live?" Angelus shrunk back and sank into the couch cushion. Apparently it was a topic Angelus despised and purposefully tried to not think about.

"Even despite the soul I still cared about you, not because of it." Angelus was staring at his hands wrapped around Darla's waist and seemed to have run out of things to say. Darla tried to take her explanation even further, hoping it would lead to some answers about where William was. Now that she realized how hurt Angelus had been, she was even more fearful of what he might have done. "I bet William and Penn would agree with me."

Angelus looked up at that and glanced around. "Where is Penn?" Darla opened her mouth hesitantly, hoping this wouldn't upset him too much. "You're as scary as ever dear boy. After I saw you kick William like that, I came here and told Penn to go out for a bit. I wasn't sure if you would hurt him too." Angelus looked thoughtful for a bit and nodded. "Probably smart." Angelus didn't seem about to say anything else and Darla rolled her eyes. Had he completely forgotten about William and those humans?

"You could go send William to get him. I'm sure you don't want to be held up any longer." He gave her a confused look and Darla wasn't sure if him forgetting about his former friends was a good sign, or if Angelus was just too busy wallowing in thoughts about her speech. "The humans tied to the pillar." She prompted. He gave this little expression of realization and Darla sighed with a smile on her face. Being such an obsessive creature, Angelus forgetting about victims was almost unheard of. She must have made a huge impact on him.

Spike stuck his head up proudly, daring Penn to comment. Much to his credit, he refrained and simply began to undo the chains. "So he's really back then?" he asked as the chains slipped off and draped around the post freely. Spike wouldn't make eye contact but nodded. Penn went over to the pile of clothes strewn on the floor and picked up a pair of black pants. Tossing them at Spike, he let the other vampire get dressed with a shred of dignity. Looking around, Spike decided his pain was at a bearable level now and slowly got off the bed. "Cordelia and Wesley still down there?" He asked and Penn nodded not sure why he wanted to know.

A malicious gleam found its way into Spike's eye and Penn followed him down the stairs curiously. The two humans turned to stare at them defiantly, but Spike surprised them all by pulling a dagger out of the weapon's cabinet and kneeling to face Cordelia. She shrunk away from the blade and Wesley strained his neck around to see. "Don't give him the satisfaction." Wesley spit out staring hatefully at Spike. Spike ignored him and brought it down, prompting Cordelia to scream. His hand clamped over her mouth and he mouthed the word 'quiet.' He didn't look threatening though, and as the blade cut through the rope Cordelia forgot all about screaming and stared at him in puzzlement. Even if he had removed his hand, she probably wouldn't have made a sound.

"Run like hell. He'll be back soon." Spike said as the ropes fell away. He stood up and moved to cut Wesley free as well. "Spike, I..I don't understand." Wesley divulged standing up to face Spike. "Don't need to Watcher, just get the hell out of here." Cordelia needed no farther prompting and came over to pull on Wesley's arm saying "Come on Wes, no soul equals lots of pain and dying for us.", He resisted her pull just long enough to stay and give Spike a nod of thanks. Then the two were off sprinting out the door and Spike turned to face a puzzled Penn.

Spike grinned and twirled the dagger in his hand. "Wanna bet how pissed he'll be that his little friends escaped?" Penn stared incredulously at him and then broke into laughter. William always was reckless, but damn if it wasn't funny to see Angelus worked up over something. Punishments weren't so funny, but Will always seemed to be able to bounce back. "Very." The two stopped and stared at each other, not willing to look behind them where the growl emanated from.

"Can still catch them if you run..." Spike trailed off fiddling with the hilt of the dagger. "Or you can take their place." Angelus suggested and Spike hunched his shoulders, trying to pull into himself. Penn stared at the two uncertainly. Part of him told himself to keep his gob shut, but the other part was just begging to break the tension. The latter won. "So, now that you're back, is it time to brush up on our Spanish?" Angelus stopped glaring at the back of Spike's head, and Spike stopped trying to be invisible with that unexpected remark. A shot of pride ran through Penn at being able to catch them off guard, but was quickly repressed as Angelus smirked.

Spike looked to be torn between elation and trepidation. "Well boyo, how 'bout that! You really are the center of attention today. Get to be tortured, explain why you don't have the foggiest where Dru is, and impress all with your Spanish." Spike reddened and stalked off to sit in the nearest chair sporting a look only the truly pissed off can achieve. It was a well known fact Will despised other languages unless they were demonic. To him, English was the only language worth a lick, and anyone that couldn't speak it could go straight to hell. "Oh, lad. Dunno' look so glum. You'll take all the fun out of torturing you later. No' ta mention what's Dru gohna' think when her little knight has no spark?"

Glaring, Spike crossed his arms, causing a wide grin to spread across Angelus' face. "There ya go. Anger." "Yeah, I'm bloody angry!" With that exclamation, Spike got up, grabbed the chair, and threw it across the room. Staring quizzically at him, Angelus let Spike stand there and huff in annoyance, until he suddenly began to laugh. "Reclaiming getting to you eh? Aw, I'll ha' mercy on ye. Be a good little lad an' I migh' even fuck y' again."

Spike's hands were fisted and Penn decided it was time to go. "I'm going to go see Darla. We'll start packing?" Angelus turned around and pulled Penn into him with one large arm. Pulled against his sire's chest, he felt a warm feeling in his own chest as Angelus leaned down and sniffed his neck. "Grab a lass first. You'll no' be neglectin' your meals." Making sure Penn nodded in obedience first, Angelus let him go off into the night and looked up to deal with a surly Victorian.

Angelus stared at Spike who was still glowering, and gave a sly grin. "Ah m'lad. Bit sore still?" He swaggered towards Will, who stood stoically too proud to move away. His hands were still balled up, but they both knew how this was going to end. Still, Spike swung out once Angelus was in range and the knuckled fist slammed into Angelus' pale jaw. The elder's smile vanished with the hit, but reappeared seconds later as if nothing important had happened. Spike blinked at the grin, trying to remember if Angelus smiled while in pain or not. It had been so long since he had been in a fist fight with Angelus.

Part of him was still trying to wrap his mind around the idea the soul was gone. Despite all evidence to the contrary, he kept expecting Angel to suddenly reappear, the poof to be staring out of those brown eyes terribly burdened and unhappy. Instead, the brown eyes were shining with malice and joy that Spike was rather positive Angel had never experienced. Shit! What the hell had that been! Ow! The last thing he saw was his sire's wide eyes before crumpling to the floor, skull throbbing.

"Gunn." Angelus was shaken by the sudden appearance, and mentally calculated his chances in a hand-to-crowbar fight. Gunn nodded in acknowledgment, Spike's body pooled in front of him, the crowbar gripped firmly in his hand. "Where's Cordy and Wes? I guess little chip-boy is back to being evil huh? Did he bring along any minions or what?"

"Yeah. They're up on the third floor." Angelus said with a straight face. Gunn frowned and pulled a stake out with his other hand. Angelus wondered for a brief second if Gunn was going to try and stake him, but the man simply bypassed him, heading up the stairs to fight the invented foes. Angelus went over to the weapon's cabinet, grabbed a short sword, and then went back over to Spike. Angelus looked down and tutted pityingly. "Karma's a bitch eh lad?" Grabbing his lapels, he dragged Spike over to the pillar and took the roughly cut ropes, reworking them to tie up Spike. Gunn came back down the stairs not sure wether to be confused or panicked. "Yo, Angel man. The place's empty." "Really?" Angelus responded, swerving around to reveal his fangs, looking as viscous as any animal would.

Gunn stared at his former ally in confusion, before morphing into an angry, armed fighter. "Man I knew it! Never trust a freakin' vamp!" Sprinting down the rest of the stairs, he ran straight at Angelus with the crowbar held in both hands. Angelus dodged the attack and grabbed the hooked end of the crowbar, ignoring the fierce pain in his hand as the two ends dug into his palm. Angelus twisted it quickly, the force of the spin startling Gunn who had to loosen his hold, while Angelus pulled the weapon towards him. The crowbar was pulled right out of Gunn's hands and Angelus lunged back at him with it, the point pressing painfully into Gunn's deltoid. "Ah!" Angelus used Gunn's momentary pain to his advantage, throwing the metal bar away, and running straight at the black man. Angelus threw a mighty punch into Gunn's gut and he reeled back, scowling at his vampiric opponent.

Gunn turned and sprinted back towards the stairs, grabbing the stake off the floor, just before Angelus' hand shot out trying to reach it first. Gunn took advantage of their proximity, bringing the stake up and turning so it was aimed right at Angelus' heart. The Irish corpse moved just in time to avoid it, and instead the wood embedded itself into Angelus' ribs. Gasping in pain, Angelus remembered the sword lying by the pillar and shoved Gunn into the railing.

As Gunn fell and recollected himself, Angelus stumbled over to Spike and reached down to grab the sharp weapon. Gunn had managed to regain his feet, just in time to see Angelus lunging at him with a sword. The stake was hindering him, however and Angelus' attack was just slow enough that Gunn was able to dodge it. Turning, he went to go sprint up the stairs, but Angelus's lunged again, the sword going into Gunn's calf as soon as he had ascended no more than two stairs.

Screaming in agony, he collapsed on the staircase, and pulled out his gun. Twisting himself around, Gunn fired the bullet, knowing it wouldn't kill the vampire, but it was all he had. The bullet went right into his chest, and Angelus stumbled back, clutching his bleeding chest in near agony. He tripped down the stairs and landed in a heap at the bottom of the staircase, while Gunn stumbled past him by sheer force of will to live. He couldn't get the sword out of his leg, and ended up using his good leg to stumble out into the sunrise as quickly as possible. Angelus lay still, feeling quite light headed. The ceiling above him began to spin, and his last thought was 'oh crap.' before he dove into darkness.

Spike came to painfully, looking down at himself in confusion. Once everything came back to him, he glanced around for Angelus and did a double take when he saw him collapsed on the floor. Staring at the bloody vampire, he cocked his head to the side and wondered how long he'd been knocked out. More importantly, was whoever it was that had knocked both him and sire unconscious still around, or was he safe for the moment? He didn't hear any heartbeats, but his relief at finding himself alone quickly became boredom as time passed and he remained unable to move. Wriggling around, he only managed to twist the rope, which was presently cutting painfully into his forearm. "Penn!"Nothing happened, but it had been worth a shot.

Darla and Penn were restless. They had finished packing everything packable hours ago and Angelus and Spike had yet to appear. Darla had had just about enough. "I don't care what issues those two have. Come Penn. We're going to go fetch them, and we will all be on our way to Argentina by nightfall even if we have to drag them all the way there by their ears." Clutched in her hands were four tickets to Buenos Aires, a flight they were supposed to be boarding at 9:00. That gave them only four hours to get Angelus and William, flaunt about their fake passports that claimed they were registered citizens of the EU, and settle down into a frightful arrowplane.

Penn wasn't surprised when he ended up dragging mostly all the luggage through LA, Darla leading the way with only two smaller bags clutched in her hands. "Hurry Penn, I do not plan to walk slower than that frail old lady." This proclamation rang clear through the night and the frumpy woman promptly turned, her overlarge purse swinging ridiculously, to give an icy glare to Darla. Darla matched the glare and rose an eyebrow in challenge. The woman seemed unsure of herself for a few seconds, and them gave a last ditch effort to sniff contemptuously at Dalra before turning back around. Darla began to speed up on her own, but Penn didn't quite know how to manage a faster pace. The straps of three bags in each hand were cutting into his fingers, and he kept getting jostled by swarms of people who formed an unrelentingly wave that bumped into the bags, throwing the weight around like it was a tetherball.

The hotel came into sight and functioned as the fulfillment of a bright promise that Penn's misery was almost over. He was still a block away as Darla marched through the lobby's doors, fully prepared to berate her childe about time management. Instead she dropped her bags on the floor and stared at Angelus in horror. "He's been there for hours." Darla turned to the source of the voice and lifted her eyebrows. Spike was sitting uncomfortably on the floor, tied to a pillar, but looking for all the world like a bored spectator trying vainly to stay awake while a mundane play drudged along. "What happened to him?" Darla asked walking over to inspect the source of all the dried blood. She had a minute of terrible fear as she realized how close the stake had come to his heart, before ripping it out in anger.

"Who did this?" She asked angrily and once again Spike provided no response. She swivelled to glare at him and Spike's eyes widened in innocence. "What? Like I know? Can't you see the bump on my head?" Now that she looked closely she did see it, but that was hardly a satisfactory answer. "You have no idea who tied you up and almost killed Angelus?" She wasn't sure if she believed Spike could possibly know nothing, but she certainly hoped he knew the person. This warranted revenge, though exacting appropriate revenge would muddle up their plans for Argentina.

He dashed all her hopes, however with an exasperated response. "All I know is one minute I was glaring at Angelus and then there was a lot of pain in the back of my head. When I woke up he was on the floor and I was tied up and there wasn't another bloody thing here."

Penn dropped his bags on the floor relieved to have finally arrived only to groan as he took in the scene. "We can't take him on a plane." Trudging over to Angelus, he kneeled down and examined his chest. Following the blood tracks, he saw a gleaming patch of new skin and looked around for a small, sharp, implement. There was a small drawer attached to the cabinet where the larger weapons resided, and he pulled it open to reveal many sharp, gleaming trinkets.

Grabbing a rather tiny one, he made his way back to his sire and cut away the patch of skin. "Penn!" Darla said in a sharp tone, not quite sure what Penn thought he was doing stabbing his injured sire. "I'm getting the bullet out." He explained carefully, digging through his sire until he came to the little metal sphere. Scooping it out with quite a bit of difficulty, Penn left a bloody mess in his wake of torn up flesh and muscle.

As soon as it had become obvious to all present that Penn was finished, Darla knocked Penn out of the way and told him to go untie Spike. Once the two were both free and back on their feet, they looked over to see Darla holding Angelus up to her chest where he was gulping instinctively, even in his semi-conscious state. Angelus eventually came to, whimpering as Darla pulled away. "Up you get. We have three hours before our plane takes off." Angelus looked around at all the bags, and as a family they were soon quickly trotting through LA, each carrying a bag in one hand. Luckily the coat Penn had packed for himself fit Angelus perfectly, so there were no inconvenient questioning looks from the city folk concerning Angelus' bloody and torn shirt.

There was only one problem with flying for vampires. Other than the fact flight attendants tended to storm away in a huff after it being made perfectly clear that no, they did not want any refreshments, security also prohibited them from taking their weapons on board. None of them were feeling very secure in the fact they didn't have so much as a dagger to fight with, but they endured. Not willing to hinder Angelus' healing because of a lack of nutrients, Darla made sure they all stopped in a night club first, leaving Angelus to guard the bags while the other three seduced and dragged four humans over to the luggage. He stood with a surly disposition throughout this whole excursion, not at all thrilled about the idea of being ordered to watchdog service. He was the sire of Penn and Will, he should be the provider, not the other way around.

Still, an hour later as he sat in the window seat, Darla next to him while Penn and Spike lounged in seats behind them, he felt his chest healing and had to agree his sire knew exactly how to take care of him. Flipping through the channels, he found a movie in Spanish and twisted around in his seat. "Penn, Will." The two looked up from their, finger game, and stared at their sire having no idea what he could possibly want from them thousands of feet above the ground. "Turn on your screens to channel 24. Listen to the Spanish, and when we land I want both of you to have some grasp of it." Normally this would be a very tall order, except both of them had already been subjugated to the forced learning of it decades ago.

Spike sunk into seat despising every syllable that rattled against his eardrums, but Penn's only complaint was that the movie was ridiculously sappy and had not a speck of meaning to it. Eventually the movie disappeared to be replaced with a gray screen and the pilot's voice came on over the loud speakers. "At this time, please fasten your seatbelts as we begin our descent to Buenos Aires. It is currently 2:30 in the morning with cloudy skies, and a temperature of about 56." The message repeated itself in Spanish and Spike felt himself smiling. It had been months since he had seen Dru; he couldn't wait to have her back in his arms again.

The airport was large and deserted. After being stuck on a plane for hours, Spike felt as if he'd explode unless he burnt up some energy. Spike gladly took the opportunity of having an airport almost to himself, and after looking to make sure there was no security guards, punched Penn lightly in the chest before running off. Penn raced after him, a chase that Angelus ended up joining, until it was a game of tag with three players, all 'it'. There was no malice or reason behind it, just three vampires who really needed some mindless fun. Ending up in a dog pile, Angelus bucked Spike off of his back, and rolled off of Penn in very merry spirits. They caught sight of a couple who were quickly trying to circle around the crazed men, sending all three into a fit of giggles completely undignified for such esteemed vampires.

Being of a more restrained nature, Darla had already retrieved everything from baggage claim by the time the boys found their way over to the conveyer belt. Her arms were on her hips, foot tapping, but Angelus quickly dispelled her annoyance by lifting her up by her waist and spinning her around, so she had to grip his shoulders not to fall.

By the time they finally made it out of the building, it was after three in the morning, and they wasted no time, roaming the streets in search of the first person the came across who owned a vehicle. Luckily for them, a rather wealthy man was just making his way home. Stepping into the road, Penn and Spike stopped the car and the man honked angrily. Spike heard the Spanish profanity and stepped up to the driver's side of the car and punched his hand through the window. He got a minor cut on his hand from the glass, but the injury was small enough that Spike paid it no mind. Reaching in, he yanked the terrified man out of the car by his head and slid into vampiric visage. "Ought to watch your mouth mate. S'not polite to speak like that."

The man obviously didn't understand English, but a vampire's face is a universal image to scream, and thus he proceeded to do so. Though the streets weren't by any means crowded, him screaming could summon some type of law enforcement. That or a misguided person who thought themselves to be the defender of others. Spike frowned and snapped his neck, satisfied the bloke wasn't going to be attracting unwanted attention anymore.

Climbing into the car, Angelus took the wheel and purposefully sped over the corpse, a satisfying crunch resounding through the air. "So where are we headed?" Penn asked from the back seat. "A ultranza." Angelus replied. Spike had no idea what that meant, but couldn't be bothered to find out. No doubt it was very clever, maybe even poetical, but the bottom line was they could be going to a place called 'Snot' and he'd still be elated as long as his dark princess was there.

It turned out to be an hour away, and Spike was pleading with his family to let him put in his CDs; he was going to go mad of boredom. "I don't care how many weeks they sat at the top of the charts William! They're a group of banshees who never should have been given drums or any other instrument!" Angelus' voice was loud and chock full of impatience, but Spike was not deterred.

"Well you entertain me then." He pouted kicking the back of his sire's seat. Angelus took his hand off the wheel, retracted his seat so his entire upper half flung back, and tilted his head to stare at Spike. "Angelus, the road!" Dalra shrieked absolutely mortified that the wheel was going on its own. "Sorry darlin' but I have to entertain the baby here." Before he could start in, however the car came to a crashing halt and all four were jilted forward. "What the 'ell?"

Looking through the front windshield, they beheld a woman dressed in rags. More importantly, she was still standing despite having been the one to stop their car. Being alive for a few centuries teaches you some things, and one of those things is that if something can easily stop a speeding car without their bodies getting injured, they probably aren't human. They stared at each other uneasily, realizing their chances against demons weren't ideal considering they had no weapons except themselves. Still, there was four of them and none of them had any intentions of running away.

They watched as the woman threw her head upwards, staring at them as if they were all out of a dream. No one moved or said anything until Spike's face lit up. Throwing the door open, he raced out of the car and spun her around in the air, only setting her down so he could kiss her enthusiastically. Giggles erupted from the lady and the rest of the vampires exited at a much more controlled speed. "What d'ya think yer wearin lass?" The spinning had blown the rags off of her head, and as the dirty cloths floated down onto her shoulders, deep black curls were revealed.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 9: Back Home**_

"Everyone's together now! Everyone's together!" Spike gently pulled her into a tight hug, smiling like the Cheshire Cat, unable to believe his luck. Drusilla smiled back and kissed Spike on the cheek before turning around to meet the stares of the rest of her family. "Don't be upset daddy. Tis what Master likes."

"Master!" Darla echoed incredulously. "Full of power, full of teeth." Drusilla sang making large gnashing sounds as she ended. "Who pet?" Spike asked, confusion clouding his elation at seeing her again. Instead of answering, she looked past the vampires she knew so well and squealed in joy. The others turned around upon hearing the thumps of feet and stared suspiciously.

Out of the darkness emerged a rather intimidating demon. Penn and Angelus instantly switched to their vampiric visage, using their demon eyes to try and spot any others that might be lurking around. Neither were able to spot anything, however and focus was soon all on the newly arrived demon. He was big, no getting around that, and surprisingly handsome for a demon with horns protruding from his lower jaw. Was this master?

"Gnar trugh gook." Angelus and Darla looked quickly at each other, but poor Penn and Spike stood staring dumbly, his speech completely uncomprehensible to them. Drusilla whimpered sadly at the order but obediently moved away slowly and stood by her master. Spike stared at his love incredulously, looking in shock at the possessive hand that grabbed her by the sleeve to force her to stand next to him. They were all expecting Drusilla to hiss or scratch the demon, but instead she stood their dumbly as the hand moved to encircle Drusilla's hip. Who did this guy think he was?

"Drusilla. Here, now." Angelus' voice came out in a growl, his golden eyes fixated on Drusilla promising high retribution if she didn't obey. No one touched what was his like that except him. There was an overwhelming feeling of possessiveness flowing through him, and he doubted there would be any mercy for those that stopped him from claiming what was his. At first nothing seemed to happen, and then Drusilla began to weep a bit. She looked torn, staring back and forth at the two angry demons, before moving a foot tentatively back towards Angelus.

Instantly, the horned demon snatched the back of the dress and growled at her angrily. She looked up with wide eyes, pitifully simpering at her master. Apparently this creature was thinking along the same lines as Angelus, and that Drusilla had better listen to him or there would be dire consequences. Yet despite his displeasure with her, the demon abandoned the notion of immediately punishing Drusilla, opting instead to glare at his challenger. "Who are you to question my authority!" The horned one spoke in a booming voice, the question directed entirely at an irate Angelus.

"He's Daddy." Drusilla answered helpfully and Angelus only growled in confirmation. "Daddy?" The demon questioned, finding the answer unexpected and strange. "Your breed does not father children." He reasoned, waiting for a more acceptable response.

"I do." Angelus growled and then proceeded to grin widely. "I'm special you see. Best damn vampire you'll ever meet. Not only do I have 'er but two sturdy lads. Meet m'bairn. William, Penn, and Drusilla; you know the lass that's slipped away to obey me?" Here the horned demon glanced away from Angelus to stare stupidly at his empty hand, and then over to Drusilla who was shying away from Darla who was trying to get the rags off of her.

The demon looked confused and angry, so naturally Angelus had to escalate the situation by continuing to talk. "I know what you're thinking. She's been so nice and complying. She's put up with everything I've done to her; don't think I can't smell the dried blood on her. Sorry, but you were just the substitute. I made them and I'm the one they listen to. Bottom line laddie, they're mine and I don't share."

Angelus smiled as the demon's pride was dented. He growled and stampeded towards Angelus, who for his part met the attack with a song in his heart. The fight lasted a while, William and Penn joining in to help while Darla forcibly tried to shut Drusilla up, until finally the demon was pinned to the pavement, the car hood separating his head from his body.

The three men grinned victoriously but Darla stood frowning, Drusilla staring up at the stars by her side. Though having been distraught throughout the fight, now that it was over she seemed perfectly happy to accept that her master was dead. It was a good thing too because Angelus was angry enough with her already. He knew she was simple minded, but god damn it she had let that thing try and take his place. He was a second from going over and bashing Dru's head in but was interrupted by his own sire's voice.

"Wipe those insipid grins off your faces. You three have just completely wrecked our car and sunrise is in what? An hour, hour and a half?" Will and Penn immediately stopped smiling and stared at the car as if only just now realizing that it wouldn't run. "The stars are singing grandmummy. They say head to the fair where the monkeys laugh." Angelus, Penn, and Darla stared at her blankly, but Spike perked right up. "The fair? Oi Angelus, this A ultranza place a bar?" "Aye." "Well come on then, don't stand there like a bunch of ninnies." Drusilla waltzed around in circles but allowed herself to be pulled down the road by Spike, so the rest followed. Darla was pretty nervous since the bar was at least two hours walking distance, but it seemed William knew what he was talking about so she went along.

An hour down the road, when the vampires were all buzzing with the feeling that signals sunrise is soon, a cottage a little off the road appeared. Feral grins adorned the demonic family's faces and Angelus raced to knock on the door. A sleepy farmer opened the door and with a few rushed words of Spanish the farmer reluctantly let them in to use the phone to call for help with their broken down car. Needless to say, none of them had any intention of using the telephone.

Penn grabbed the farmer from the back, clamped a hand over his mouth, and bit down on his neck hard. The rest spread out through the small house searching for any sleeping family. Drusilla screeched with delight as she found a wrinkled grandma, who woke with a scream, opening her eyes to be faced with an irate vampire. "Shush! Dollies don't scream in bed." The old woman stared at Drusilla fearfully, as Drusilla attempted to order her about in English. The other three raced around, hoping the scream hadn't alerted anybody, and eventually found only a young woman sleeping soundly.

Angelus stared at the other two vampires and grinned. "Will m'boy." He said gaily, swinging an arm around his shoulders. "Yes?" Taking his other hand, he swung and punched Spike in the stomach, pushing him out into the hallway when Spike hunched over from the impact. He shut the door in the blonde's face and said loudly "Next time you free one of my victims, you'll do more than starve." With that, he smiled at Darla lovingly, kissing her lavishly before they both bent down to suck the young peasant dry. The fangs woke her up in a hurry, but she only got the chance to scream in pain for a few moments before she was dead. The poor girl hadn't even gotten a chance to realize what was happening to her.

Listening to the other two eat, Spike glared at the door, the punishment all the more bitter because he had thought Angelus had forgotten about that incident. His stomach growled and he stormed back to Drusilla hoping she hadn't killed the old lady yet and would be willing to share. Angelus would go off the deep end if he realized Spike was trying to get around his punishment, but Spike was counting on the fact his sire would want a good after meal shag with Darla.

Entering the old lady's room he found he was out of luck. Instead of finding Dru in a generous mood as he had hoped, she seemed a bit annoyed. Dru glared at his intrusion, standing defiantly between Spike and her very much alive dolly. "Dru love." He greeted with what he hoped was a charming and disarming smile. "Care to share?" She smiled and giggled, while Spike smiled uncertainly in return. "So, that a yeah then?" She stopped giggling, and still smiling, she gently pulled him in. "You can nibble, but no telling. Angelus wouldn't be happy and then all would tip and whirl and we'd be lost without a map." Nodding gratefully, he went to bite but Drusilla yanked him back by his arm. "Not yet!" She reprimanded and Spike groaned. He wanted blood.

"First we must all shake hands and hang our coats." He waited by the wall, watching with a small smile as his princess found joy in tormenting the crying woman. Just looking at her made his heart soar, even as she played with the woman and refused to let him feed. Unfortunately for him, she seemed to be in a very playful mood. He had a gut feeling that master she had attached herself to had never let her play with her victims like she wanted to. Unless you understood her, it was a bit odd and annoying. She even managed to find a tea cup on the bedside table, which upon discovery she gave an excited squeal, twirling as she held the cup above her head. She then dumped the nails she had ripped off the woman earlier, and handed it to the woman with a smile as if expecting her to drink it.

Spike laughed outright at the human's expression, basking in the joy of being with his love again. His happiness was soon wiped away though. The party was interrupted by Angelus yanking the door open and staring around the room, honing in on Spike with an expression that was very telling. He wasn't happy with either of them, but Angelus reigned in his temper wanting to see Spike squirm a bit at least.

He laughed as he caught sight of the poor old woman and joined Spike by the wall, making Spike very nervous just as he knew it would. Drusilla did not appear to have noticed his entrance, and he watched amused as Drusilla continued with her strange brand of torture. It was a few moments later when Drusilla turned around and dragged her dolly over to the men and smiled. She pushed the woman forward towards Spike and he looked uncertainly towards Angelus. Apparently he stared too long for Drusilla got impatient. "Spike! Here! You said you wanted to share and she's all groomed and wrapped. Drink now!"

Spike grimaced as Angelus' hand shot out gripping his wrist and squeezing hard. "William's all full Drusilla. In'nit that right boy?" Spike nodded in reluctant agreement, feeling even worse as Drusilla pouted sadly at him and her bottom lip quivered. "You lied?" Spike wanted more than anything to wrench free and deny it, but Angelus beat him to it saying. "Aye lass. He did at that." In a huff, Drusilla turned and stormed away with her doll, leaving Angelus to pull Spike out of the room and into the young woman's bedroom. Her corpse had been shoved into the corner leaving plenty of empty room for Angelus to take out his anger on Spike.

"You really ought to know better b' now. I let you off easy but apparently y' have absolutely no appreciation of the fact." Spike now remembered that Angelus had promised to torture him in place of Cordelia and Wesley, and suddenly understood a skipped meal could have been much worse. From Drusilla's room they heard desperate prayers in Spanish, giving Drusilla a reason to scream, shouting "Stop it stop it stop it! You're ruining everything! Now you have to be squashed and made all over again!"

Angelus grinned at Spike and grabbed him by the back of his neck. "Coul' nought have put it better meself. Y' ruined everything lad, and now y' haf ta be squashed." Angelus pushed Spike onto his knees and struck him across the face a few times until both of his cheeks felt numb. "Did y' relly think I wouldn't find out if y' fed?" He questioned and Spike stared up with an expression Angelus couldn't read.

He was about to hit or punch him some more, when Spike shocked him by reaching out and undoing his zipper, latching onto his limp cock as a baby would latch onto a bottle. Angelus scowled, deeming William's attempt to get out of punishment pathetic, but didn't stop the lad from doing what he wanted. William began sucking and before Angelus knew it, he was hardening and maneuvering so he could lean against a wall. Spike's head bobbed up and down as he sucked and licked, and Angelus thought distractedly that Spike was doing a fantastic job given that his face had just been slapped around.

After cumming, he felt Spike trying to keep the softening cock in his mouth and frowned. What was he doing? Pushing his childe away, he stared down at the wanting face and understood. His childe had no motives. He just really needed contact and this was all he could think to do. Spike felt out of control. He needed to touch, he needed to feel. Despite that, all he could do was kneel staring up helplessly as his fingers twitched with need. Being the reclaimed childe, the need for contact was great but he couldn't do anything that could constitute as him being the dominate one. Angelus had to take the lead.

Angelus grabbed Spike's duster and threw him onto the bed, crawling on top of the needy vampire. "Please sire." Spike whimpered unable to hold it in. Angelus hadn't touched his newly reclaimed childe for over a day, and Spike was feeling the affects severely. It was a bit ironic. He had just given that great speech about owning all his childer to that stupid demon who had dared to try and control Drusilla, while at the same time neglecting the neediest of his childer. Leaning down he kissed Spike, pushing his tongue into his mouth with relish.

While kissing, Angelus shifted around to remove clothing, until he finally broke their connection long enough to remove the pants. Flipping Spike around, he quickly pushed a pillow under the vampire's hips and dug his fingers into the boy. The muscles stretched and contracted splendidly, so that when Angelus rammed his cock in, Spike grunted in satisfaction and not just pain. Angelus kept the rhythm slow, knowing he should prolong this as long as possible. Bracing himself above Spike, he pulled in and out trying to make sure he hit Spike's prostate which if moans and groans were any indication, he was doing a good job of doing.

By the time he came, Spike had already spilled his seed soiling the cheap sheets. Readjusting themselves, they got Spike lying on his back again and Angelus worked his way down his childe's body kissing as many parts as he could. Lord the boy was beautiful. They eventually feel asleep there, Angelus spooning Spike into his chest both sated and content.

Out in the main room, the day was spent lounging in the shadows. Penn and Darla sprawled themselves on the ratty couch, recovering from their plane ride. With Darla lying partially on top of Penn's stomach and partially on the edge of the couch, the two fell in and out of sleep as they listened in on Drusilla playing with her new dolly. It was an extremely lazy day, but neither of them seemed to mind. Finally a few hours past midday, a 'bad dolly!' was followed by a thud, and then the noise of Drusilla sucking blood. At that point, Darla untangled herself from Penn walking into the bedroom to make sure Drusilla was going to get some sleep before sundown.

After Drusilla snuggled up on the bed, holding the corpse of the old lady to her chest as a toddler would a teddy bear, Darla wandered back out where she found Penn oddly absent. Going on instinct, she found him standing morosely in the doorway of the other bedroom. Coming in behind him, she looked where he was and sighed. It was a good thing Angelus was in almost constant want of sex since he lived with four other vampires who craved his touch.

"I was planning to spend tomorrow with him, but if you want I'll let you spend the day with him instead." Penn snorted. "Except he's going to spend it with Will." Darla looked at the two on the bed and nodded. "Oh right, the reclaiming." With so much happening, she had almost forgotten about Angel reclaiming William. Personally, she didn't think it had been necessary, but he had always been one that needed complete control over things. Well, whether it had been necessary or not, it was done and there wasn't much she could do about it.

She patted Penn's back in sympathy but then grabbed a handful of his shirt to pull him away. He twisted quickly so she would let go of him, but he had understood her message. It went something along the lines of 'don't stand there like a simpering fool. Now get back to the livingroom before you do anything stupid.'

The two left to go play a game of cards, after searching for a deck for about ten minutes, both wallowing in the fact for better or worse William would most likely be stealing quite a bit of Angelus' time for the next month. Will was the next one to wake up, wandering out to join in the game, followed soon by Angelus, and lastly Drusilla. By that time it was a few minutes past sundown and the family all left the house, heading down the road to A ultranza where Penn was hoping to find some quality ale and Spike was hoping for a nice good meal. Entering the small, smokey place, Drusilla pulled Spike towards the dancers, while Darla pulled Angelus over to some Gethu demons, leaving Penn to escape to the bar where he bought a few pints despite not having a cent on him.

In the middle of a dance Spike sensed a man walking past the building and snuck out to get a snack leaving Dru spinning around, a danger to any idiot who dared get in her way.

On the other side of the bar Darla and Angelus were bartering their deck of cards for some cash, an endeavor which seemed doomed to fail until Angelus got fed up and shoved the demon against the wall, an arm pressing against his windpipe. Suddenly a lot of babbling from the demon commenced, ending with Darla stuffing a wad of bills into her bosom and Angelus clapping the fearful demon on the shoulder with a friendly smile. 'Nice doin' business with yeh."

"'Nother m' good man." Penn slurred and the bartender stood tapping his claws against the counter. "Not until you pay." Penn glared, but sort of ruined the effect by almost tipping out of his chair, only catching himself at the last minute. "M' insulted. Course I'll pay." The bartender raised an eyebrow waiting impatiently as Penn fumbled around in his pockets. "Ah! Here it is!" Taking his hand out, the bartender waited for the outstretched fist to open so he could take the money, but instead it came up and hit his chin. "Hey!" Looking up at his customer outraged, he blinked in confusion as the glazed expression of a drunken man disappeared to be replaced by clear golden eyes.

The vampire jumped up onto the bar counter and kicked the bartender right in the forehead before tuning and fleeing out into the dark. Angelus and Darla watched Penn's display from across the bar shocked. As soon as Penn flew through the doors, however Angelus rushed forward, knocking the bar's security guards out as he went and continued out through the door. He was momentarily distracted by seeing Will standing just outside the doors gulping blood out of a man, but decided he could deal with that later. He had to catch Penn first.

Running down the road he found Penn lying to the side on top of grass, tears on his cheeks. Sitting down, he pulled Penn into his lap, the younger vampire providing no resistance. "I miss Europe." Penn confessed without any prompting. "There I knew people, had friends." Angelus kissed the top of his head and stared at the stars in front of them as Penn was doing. "I miss it too lad." The two sat in silence for a long time, the silence comforting.

"Darla wanted to go back to California and kill the Slayer, but maybe we ought to head to England eh?" Penn nodded and Angelus let his hand drop to Penn's zipper. He felt Penn tense in surprise but continued none the less. He unzipped the pants and grabbed Penn's manhood, stoking it gently. "I miss the soggy weather. Remember the really stormy days where we went out in the middle of the day? Can't do that in California."

Angelus continued to muse as Penn leaned into him, moaning gently and Angelus smiled. Increasing his pace, he got Penn to come and lifted him up off of the ground. The two walked back in companionable silence, Darla, Drusilla, and Spike all hanging outside the bar waiting for them. "Darla, I think we need to get back to Europe." Darla frowned and was just about to protest when she saw the weary look on Penn's face. She looked around and saw the hopeful smile on William's face, as well as the happy giggle escaping Drusilla, and relented. The Slayer would soon be dead. Right now her family needed rest and recuperation. They all needed to go home.

Two days later found the vampires back at the airport in Buenos Aires where each clutched a fake passport and tickets bought with the money they had gotten from bartering their cards. Drusilla had been like a kid while in the airport, pointing at any and every electric sign in glee, and everyone was in a rather good mood. Then they stepped on the aeroplane and Drusilla took a turn for the worse.

"I'm trapped! I'm trapped!" "Shush!" Darla reprimanded but Dru would not be quieted. Spike pulled her hastily into his chest trying to speak comforting words, but she was still blubbering. They got more than a few odd glances but no one seemed brave enough to approach the group with the insane young lady. Eventually an attendant timidly approached, asking wether they could take their seats. Spike reluctantly let go of Drusilla so they could sit down, but Drusilla soon began sobbing and clawing at her seatbelt although Spike put his hand firmly around the fastener so she couldn't get at it.

She eventually stuffed her dress in her mouth which seemed to work. She remained silent throughout the flight, dress in her mouth and staring curiously at all the other passengers as if they were the ones not acting normally. Spike quickly turned on the telly in front of him, only to chuckle as the Spanish movie came on. Angelus had completely forgotten about having him brush up on his Spanish, not that he ended up needing to. Maybe his sire was getting old. He seemed to be forgetting about things a lot.

Angelus stared at the blind that was firmly pulled down over his window, lost in thought. He'd like to believe that Angel was not a part of him, that Angel was a separate creature now fully gone from his body, but it didn't seem so. That red energy had stolen the soul from his body, which he would be forever grateful for, but there was still something different. He should have thoroughly beaten Spike for releasing Angel's friends and punished Penn for drawing such unwanted attention to himself in that bar, but he didn't.

Darla spent the entire flight watching her childe out of the corner of her eyes, tying to understand what he was feeling. Though he probably didn't want to admit it to himself, she had noticed the changes in him as well. He had more patience with them all, and seemed much more empathetic when it came to them. Though he was obviously back to his unsouled state, the last century had apparently had an impact on him.

Penn was engrossed in watching the tiny screen, but just as the credits began he tensed and his fists clenched on reflex. He quickly relaxed as he realized it was only Angelus' arm around his shoulders, and then blinked in confusion. Had he done something? Looking over at his sire he was met with a warm gaze and smiled back. He didn't quite understand the soul / no soul deal, but whatever had changed in Angelus, he liked it.

As the plane went to land the five vampires shared a gaze, even Drusilla's gaze looking quite coherent. As the plane ran along the runway, Drusilla finally let her dress fall from her mouth to reveal a child's smile. The plane stopped and as the pilot waited to drive the plane to a gate, in one swift motion the vampires were all out of their seats and fell onto the unsuspecting.

They made no secret of it, grabbing passengers left and right tearing messily into their necks. Screams surrounded them and as a group of four sprinted towards the safety of the restroom, Darla went for the chase. A father with his toddler in his hands was pounding on the plane's door, but of course it wasn't opening. Angelus scooped up a five year old girl whose mother was flopped across a seat, and gave her a mock frown as she cried. "Sh, it'll all be over soon lass. 'til then," Angelus used his massive paw and smothered her. Her flailing was no match for his brute strength, and eventually her breathing stopped, eyes still wide and wet from the terror of dying from suffocation.

Drusilla went around counting all the flight attendants strewn about and called out over the panic that they had all grown angel wings and were flying towards the sun to burn. Ensconced in the pilot's room, Harold Terry dared not venture out, but rather shut off all communication and drove around aimlessly looking for the first unoccupied gate. As soon as he got the plane parked, he didn't even bother to make an announcement, but quickly raced out, breathing heavily as he sprinted down the ramp and into the airport.

Back on the plane there were few still breathing, and the five looked around in satisfaction. "Can you hear the cheers daddy? Such a lovely welcome home." "Aye, I can darlin'." "We're finally home, think England missed us?" " 'Couse they did Penn. We're the life of the party." Ripping the door open, the five stared at the ramp and set off towards baggage claim. Standing by the rotating circle, they systematically packed suitcases onto luggage racks and ignored the strange looks they were receiving. "Such pretty goody bags!" "Drusilla, we'll unpack at home." Darla snapped, yanking the zipper from Drusilla's hands. "Lets go." Penn said sharply as he spied security guards on their walkie talkies looking their way.

And even as they ran quickly out of the airport, dragging heavy luggage racks behind them being chased by security guards, they were all smiling as if they had just trounced fate itself.

THE END. 


End file.
